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Santa by Leslie Thrasher
- Children tell a Salvation Army Santa their wish lists in this amusing painting by Leslie Thrasher
- Thrasher was a leading 20th-century American illustrator who composed over 360 magazine covers
- His scenes of everyday Americans display a keen attention to detail and a charming sense of humor
- Get complete item description here
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1889-1936 | American
Santa
Liberty Magazine cover, December 20, 1930
Signed “Leslie Thrasher” (lower left)
Oil on canvas
A Salvation Army Santa looks on with a mixture of fatigue and disinterest as a group of children tell him their Christmas gift wish lists in this lighthearted composition by leading American illustrator Leslie Thrasher. This painting was created for the December 20, 1930 issue of Liberty Magazine, for which the artist. . .
1889-1936 | American
Santa
Liberty Magazine cover, December 20, 1930
Signed “Leslie Thrasher” (lower left)
Oil on canvas
A Salvation Army Santa looks on with a mixture of fatigue and disinterest as a group of children tell him their Christmas gift wish lists in this lighthearted composition by leading American illustrator Leslie Thrasher. This painting was created for the December 20, 1930 issue of Liberty Magazine, for which the artist illustrated covers on a weekly basis for six consecutive years. Thrasher is known for his scenes of everyday American life imbued with a sense of humor, qualities represented to great effect in this charming painting.
Born in 1889 in Piedmont, West Virginia, Thrasher studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts as a teenager and received a scholarship to study art abroad in Paris. Upon his return, he began studying under Howard Pyle, known as the “father of American illustration.” Thrasher sold his first cover illustration to the Saturday Evening Post in 1912, four years before Norman Rockwell’s first Post cover, and he would go on to produce over 360 magazine covers throughout his career. He painted humorous, relatable scenes of everyday life in America with colorful characters set against white backgrounds. He was also a successful commercial artist, painting advertisements for Cream of Wheat, Chesterfield Cigarettes and Fisk Tire.
Circa 1930
Canvas: 20 1/8" high x 17" wide
Frame: 24 1/2" high x 21 3/8" wide

| Maker: | Thrasher, Leslie |
| Period: | 1919-Present |
| Origin: | America |
| Type: | Paintings |
| Style: | Illustration |
| Depth: | 2.0 in. (5.08 cm) |
| Width: | 21.38 in. (54.29 cm) |
| Height: | 24.5 in. (62.23 cm) |
| Canvas Width: | 17.000 in. (43.18 cm) |
| Canvas Height: | 20.125 in. (51.12 cm) |
America’s Stories: The Art of American Illustration
Read MoreBuy With Confidence
For over a century, we've placed important art, rare jewels and exceptional objects with more than 14,000 collectors worldwide, and have been recognized by trusted publications including Robb Report, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and more.

On Approval
Examine select works in person before you commit

125% Guarantee
Full credit plus 5% annual appreciation for five years

Trusted Expertise
Over two centuries of combined experience across our specialists