William Henry Dethlef Koerner (1878 - 1938)

William H.D. Koerner, perhaps best known for his western illustrations that graced the covers of the Saturday Evening Post and Colliers Weekly magazine in the late 1920's and early 30's was born in Germany in 1878 and moved with his family to Clinton, Iowa at age three. From childhood, Koerner had a passion for drawing and was eventually hired as a staff artist for the Chicago Tribune. After working for a few years, Koerner enrolled in New York City's Art Student's League from 1905-07. Here he was under the tutelage of George Bridgeman, an influential teacher and mentor of Norman Rockwell. Through Bridgeman, Koerner became familiar with the skills of the American Impressionists who were active at this time. He gained a sense of immediacy in his work and began using broken color and loose brushwork to impart a sense of movement and life. Koerner also studied under the "Father of American Illustration," Howard Pyle, in Wilmington, Delaware from 1907-11. From Pyle, Koerner learned the art of realistic figural depiction. Koerner's unique brand of illustration began to blossom; he blended the Impressionists' dazzling color and interplay of light with the realism of American Illustration.

William H. D. Koerner's works are held in the collections of museums nationwide, such as the Delaware Art Museum, the Phoenix Art Museum and the Amon Carter Museum. The market for Koerner's works continues to be very strong and is still actively increasing in value. His unparalleled ability to capture the adventurous and romantic elements of historical lifestyles is one of the reasons that his work actively collected as a landmark in American art history.