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Howard L. Fogg

Howard L. Fogg (1917-1996) was an American artist specializing in railroad art. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, in1917. Raised in Wilmette, Illinois, his love of railroading came from his father, a VP of the Litchfield & Madison Railroad. After graduating he enrolled in the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, intending to pursue a career in political cartooning. He took part in WW II as a fighter pilot. After the war Howard was introduced to Duncan Fraser, President of the American Locomotive Company (ALCO). Fraser hired Howard as company artist in 1946. The same year Howard met Lucius Beebe, a journalist with the New York Herald-Tribune. Beebe planned to write a series of railroad books, and in 1947 his book, Mixed Train Daily, was the first of many to use a Fogg painting on the cover. Over the next 40 years, many other distinguished railroad authors also commissioned art from him. Over the decades magazines featured Fogg and his work.[9] Limited edition prints were issued. Calendars and postcards  as well as catalogues used his artwork. Whereas his earlier work was almost exclusively in watercolor and primarily for corporations, in later years he worked in both watercolor and oil, with individuals becoming a significant source of commissions. As his fame and reputation grew he had a waiting list measured in years, and he continued to paint until his death . Howard Fogg is often referred to as the dean of American railroad artists. He said of himself that he wasn't an artist who painted trains, but a railroader with a paintbrush, and his love of trains is reflected in his work. Many of the artists that preceded him used exaggerated colors and proportions to emphasize the power and drama of a locomotive. Fogg broke with that tradition and became known for his startling accuracy and realism. He would ensure that every detail was correct, yet his work lost none of the drama and excitement of his predecessors.

December 11th 2024

 

 
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