Name/Title
Roy Best Water Color - “New England Church”Entry/Object ID
2024.2.22Description
1937 water color painting by Waverly, Ohio native Roy Best.
Roy Best, an American illustrator and painter, is known for his captivating pin-up art. Born in Waverly, Ohio, on December 3, 1892, he attended the Art Institute of Cincinnati and later enrolled in the Art Institute of Chicago. His artistic journey took him to New York City, where he was represented by American Artists.
During this prolific period, Best created several iconic covers for The Saturday Evening Post. His talent extended beyond pin-ups; he also illustrated children’s books, including “Little Friends from Many Lands” by Mary Windsor. Additionally, Best painted portraits of well-known actresses like Grace Kelly.
In 1942, he was commissioned by the Treasury’s Section of Painting and Sculpture to create a post office mural titled “Arrival of Packet” in his hometown of Waverly, Ohio. Later, he embarked on a successful career producing calendar pin-ups for Brown and Bigelow. In his later years, Best focused on corporate-commissioned oil portraiture and watercolor landscapes of Cape Cod, his retirement home.
Research has concluded that this painting is of First Congregational Church in Harwich, Massachusetts.
https://firstchurchofharwich.org/Type of Painting
PanelAcquisition
Accession
2024.2Acquisition Method
GiftDimensions
Height
13-1/4 inWidth
10-1/2 inGeneral Notes
Note
Purchased by Pike Heritage Museum in March 2024.Create Date
March 30, 2024
