H. Charles McBarron, Jr.

Hugh Charles McBarron Jr. (October 3, 1902 – April 21, 1992) was an American artist. Known for his wide body of work featuring the United States Armed Forces, he is considered by many to have been the "dean of military illustrators".

While known for his military illustrations, McBarron also created illustrations for fashion, advertising and mail order catalogues. He produced such popular-culture icons as Captain Midnight, the Jolly Green Giant and Buster Brown. He portrayed himself as a subject within his works, and can be found in virtually all his military depictions. Where's Waldo? illustrator Martin Handford, in a Time Magazine article, cited McBarron as his primary influence.

Marriage and family McBarron married Mary Cecilia Pugh with whom he had a son and a daughter.

After his death, McBarron was interred next to his wife at Calvary Cemetery in Evanston, Illinois.

Professional work Among H. Charles McBarron's noted series of artworks on American Military subjects are: Over 250 color illustrations for Military Uniforms in America, the quarterly publication of the Company of Military Historians (H. Charles McBarron-Founding Member & Fellow); c. 1948-1990 Five series of Ten each: 50 Illustrations entitled The American Soldier: 1775 to the Present; reproductions published by the US Government Printing Office, Washington DC Sixteen paintings of The Army in Action; c. 1950-cc; reproductions published by the US Government Printing Office, Washington DC Two series of 12 each = Twenty-four paintings of historic Uniforms of the US Navy 1775-1968 for the US Navy Department; published by the US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC Ten paintings: Soldiers of the American Revolution for the Center of Military History; reproductions published by the U.S. Government Printing Office Twenty-seven paintings for the American Oil Company (Amoco) c. 1963-65, Historical Americana

Illustrated publications Book of the Continental Soldier, Harold Peterson, illustrated by H. Charles McBarron, c 1965 Soldiers of the American Revolution: A Sketchbook; H. Charles McBarron, Department of the Army, Center of Military History, Washington, D.C., 1976 Military Uniforms in America; John R. Elting and Michael J. McAfee (editors), illustrated by H Charles McBarron. published by Presidio Press, California (four volumes): Volume I The Era of the American Revolution, 1755-1795, Presidio Press, San Rafael, California, 1974 Volume II Years of Growth, 1796-1851, Presidio Press, San Rafael, California, 1977 Volume III Long Endure, The Civil War Period, 1852-67, Presidio Press, Novato, California, 1982 Volume IV The Modern Era, from 1868, Presidio Press, Novato, California, 1988 Encyclopædia Britannica; Illustrations of Military and Historical subjects Book of Costume; Simon & Schuster Book of Soldiers; Simon & Schuster Historical Slide Films; Society for Visual Education Numerous illustrations for textbooks, mostly historical Numerous illustrations for magazines and calendars

Professional membership Company of Military Historians. Founding Member c. 1948 (along with Anne K. Brown- "Anatomy of Glory", Brown University Press c 1961) McBarron illustrated up to 300 illustrations for publication in its Military Uniforms in America series. He created the Company's "Continental Rifleman 1775" illustrated emblem. Smithsonian Institution; Consultant

Collections and works Cantigny Park; Wheaton, Illinois -Col. Robert R. McCormick Memorial Museum to the 1st Division, 8 paintings Cowpens National Battlefield; Chesnee, South Carolina; "Battle of Cowpens" c. 1980 Smithsonian Institution; Washington DC -42 colour illustrations of the US Army, US Navy & US Marine Corps through United States history United States Department of Defense; Washington DC and US Military Bases and Installations West Point Museum, United States Military Academy; West Point, New York US Marine Corps Museum; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania -Large Oil Painting US Army War College; Norfolk, Virginia -Large Oil Painting(5x8) Valley Forge Military Academy; Valley Forge, Pennsylvania -Portrait of General Lee on Horseback Virginia Military Institute; Lexington, Virginia The Citadel; Charleston, South Carolina Pritzker Military Museum & Library; Chicago, Illinois -"The Doughboy" Parks Canada - Battle of the Châteauguay National Historic Site of Canada, life-sized mural (30x8), Battle of the Chateauguay c. 1977