William Haskell Coffin

William Haskell Coffin (October 21, 1878 – May 12, 1941) was an American painter and commercial artist. He flourished in the early decades of the twentieth century, and his work appeared on the covers of leading magazines in the United States. He also produced posters commissioned by the US government.

Haskell Coffin with a portrait

Biography

Coffin was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on October 21, 1878, the son of Julia (Haskell) and George Mathewes Coffin.[1] When he was young, his family moved to Washington, DC, where he attended the Corcoran School of Art. After a brief stint back in Charleston, where he painted portraits of society ladies, he went to France in 1902 to complete his training as an artist.[2]

Coffin specialized in images of women, which were reproduced on the covers of popular magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post,[3] The American Magazine, Redbook, McCall's, Leslie's Illustrated, and the Pictorial Review.[4] He was one of the most highly paid illustrators of his era.

Coffin was married twice. His second wife was actress Frances Starr; they eventually divorced.[5]

Coffin was being treated for depression in an institution in St. Petersburg, Florida, when he leaped from a third-floor window and died on May 12, 1941.[6]

  • World War I era poster
    World War I era poster
  • Saturday Evening Post cover, April 17, 1915
    Saturday Evening Post cover, April 17, 1915

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to William Haskell Coffin.
  1. "William Henry "Haskell" Coffin". Haskell Family History. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  2. intern, web. "Face Time". Charleston Magazine. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
  3. "Curtis Publishing - The Art of Licensing". curtispublishing.com. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
  4. "Haskell Coffin". American Art Archives. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  5. "She's One of The Actresses Who Can't Give Up Acting". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 9 March 1941. p. 40. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  6. "Haskell Coffin, artist, leaps to death as charity patient". Evening Star. Washington, D.C. May 12, 1941. p. 1.


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