Joseph Morgan Henninger
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Joseph Morgan Henninger (1906-1999) Artist and Illustrator.
Born in Elwood, Indiana in 1906; died In Pacific Palisades, California, March 7, 1999.
Joseph Henninger was an accomplished painter and sculptor. He also became a commercial artist, an illustrator, and a teacher of "Croquie". He was a founding member and the first president of the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles (1953). The Society has established an annual award in his name to honor a top illustrator.
He was a graduate of l'Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. He had won a four year scholarship for a painting submitted to the Thomas Award competition. Upon graduating, he returned to Indiana and set up a portrait studio in Indianapolis. Later, he moved to Chicago, and then to the Arizona State University where he painted two murals. Finally, he settled in Los Angeles, California and his career as an illustrator, commercial artist, and teacher began. He taught classes at the Art Center College of Design for 36 years and many of his students became outstanding artists.
Henninger also worked in the film industry, providing illustrations and set designs for Vincent Korda, Selznick Studios, Walt Disney, United Artists, MGM, and Columbia. During World War II, he headed the Illustration Department of Lockheed Aircraft where he created perspective drawings of aircraft. His works are on display at the Air Force Academy, The Pentagon and Arizona State University.
Throughout his career years, Joseph Henninger continued to create fine art, including paintings in oil and watercolor. He traveled extensively to find subjects for his paintings. An example of his skill and attention to detail is the watercolor shown at the right, depicting 33 scenes of Spain on a single canvas.
His works are on display in museums and private collections. He authored and illustrated several books. One of the most important is "Drawing of the Hand and Its Anatomy", 1973, Borden Publishing Company, Alhambra, California.
Henninger was President of the California Art Club in 1965, and was also elected to several terms as president of the Art Directors Guild. He was a member of the National Watercolor Society. "American Artist" Magazine recognized Joseph Henninger as "...one of the most influential watercolorists of the latter half of the twentieth century." (from the California Art Club Newsletter, June/July 1999)
