George Overbury (Pop) Hart

George Overbury Hart was born in Cairo, Illinois. He left home at an early age and supported himself with odd jobs. From 1907 to 1912 he painted signs at amusement parks in the New York City area. During the next decade, he painted stage sets for motion picture studios in Fort Lee, New Jersey. As his paintings and prints gained serious recognition, his reputation grew.

Known simply as "Pop," Hart spent most of his life traveling the world. In South America, Iceland, the South Seas, Mexico, and Europe, Hart captured scenes of everyday life in casual, lively watercolors. Late in his career, this self-taught artist turned to lithographs and etchings. Museums began to acquire his work in the 1920s.

[This is an excerpt from the interactive companion program to the videodisc American Art from the National Gallery of Art. Produced by the Department of Education Resources, this teaching resource is one of the Gallery's free-loan educational programs.]

Text © National Gallery of Art, 2020