Leslie Thrasher

Charles Leslie Thrasher (September 15, 1889 – December 2, 1936) was an American illustrator best known for his magazine covers for Liberty magazine and the Saturday Evening Post.

Biography Thrasher was born in Piedmont, West Virginia, on September 15, 1889, to Mason and Dorothy Thrasher. In 1912, Thrasher's work first appeared on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post, for which he eventually did twenty-three covers. During the First World War, he enlisted in the 40th Engineer Battalion. He was sent to France, where he partook in camouflage work. His contract with Liberty was terminated in 1932

A house fire occurred at Thrasher's residence in Old Field, New York, on November 29, 1936. He was taken by ambulance to John T. Mather Memorial Hospital, The same fire destroyed much of Thrasher's work.

Thrasher had one daughter, Audrey.

Style and legacy Thrasher was a realist painter, often compared to Norman Rockwell. He is usually considered inferior to Rockwell, but it is noted that he had less time to develop his art. While Rockwell's backgrounds were highly detailed, Thrasher's backgrounds were simply set on white. Nonetheless, Thrasher is occasionally mistaken for Rockwell, in particular the piece "Tipping the Scales", which appeared on the Saturday Evening Post in October 1936.

Thrasher's most popular series of covers was created for Liberty and named "For the Love o' Lil." Lil represented a typical (if unusually attractive) middle-class woman, and the covers represented her "life" from young womanhood to middle age. "Storylines" for Lil were often suggested by readers. In 1930, a movie was made featuring Thrasher's character, and a radio show for the character was also produced.

In addition to his magazine cover illustrations, his work was featured prominently in advertisements for Chesterfield Cigarettes, Cream of Wheat, DuPont, and the Fisk Tire Company.