Joseph A. Maturo

Western Images

Joseph A. Maturo did illustrations during the golden age of Western pulp fiction. He worked from the late 1920's through the mid 1930's. Writers who knew from their own experience about the West wrote for all-Western publications. To balance super-hero  magazines there was the love-story Western.

Magazine Illustration Western rider on a horse, oil on canvas Size: 30" x 40"

He became known for his ability to paint not only portraits, and figures, but also horses in action. This is a Western Illustration. He took his own photographs of horses galloping. The foreground is suggested with rapid brushwork. He could quickly catch a likeness on a canvas.

Magazine Illustration as printed 

Day's End

April 1930

Painted

Oil on canvas

Pictorial Review

Story by Isabel Stewart Way

Printed size: 5" x 6 1/4"

Caption: "For a moment Amos could not comprehend, and even when he did his hands kept on trembling." On page 15

Credit: Illustration by Joseph Maturo

Size:10" x 7" from a tracing paper pencil and ink working sketch for the cover of Western Story, Dec. 25, 1929

A major publisher was Street and Smith. The titles were Story, and Western Story.

Size:10" x 7" from a paper pencil working sketch for the cover of Western Story  Sept 26. (mildew discoloration)

His work was often signed Jos. A. Maturo or with the initials: J. A. M. or  just  M.

Couple in hay, horse nearby

Pen and Ink Drawing, Printed Proof, Signed Jos. A. Maturo

Later the characters would become starring roles for actors like Gary Cooper.

Man in cowboy hat

Pen and Ink Drawing, Printed Proof  Size:4 1/2" x 5" Signed J. A. M.

She recognizes the bandit and gives him such a look. But behind her  a bandit has already drawn the knife. Joseph Maturo dipped his ink pen in the India ink bottle and drew a few strokes. This was repeated to create textures and patterns. Rendering a plaid shirt or a polka dot scarf took hours.

Warming up with coffee

Pen and Ink Drawing, Printed Proof, Signed Jos. A. Maturo

Even the wood grain is depicted on the door.

The work was hard on his eyes. He wore his regular thick glasses and looked through a  magnifier. He also used a reducing glass to see how it would look when reduced for printing. He was going blind doing the pen and ink work. He began with an outline in pencil. He had to start over if the ink lines were in the wrong place. He did hundreds of these.

Magazine illustration Pen and Ink Drawing, Printed Proof, Signed Jos. A. Maturo Size: 5" x  5"

Magazine illustration Pen and Ink Drawing, Printed Proof, Signed Jos. A. Maturo Size: 4" x 5"

Magazine illustration Pen and Ink Drawing, Printed Proof, Size: 5 3/4" x 5"

Magazine illustration Pen and Ink Drawing, Printed Proof, Size: 4 1/2" x 5"

Magazine illustration Pen and Ink Drawing, Printed Proof, Signed Jos. A. Maturo Size: 4" x 7 1/2"

Magazine illustration

Wild West

April 1928

Painted in 1927

Oil on canvas

Pictorial Review 29: 17, 87, 88, 90 Illustration 17

Story by Viola Paradise

Printed size: 8" x 6"

Signed Jos. A. Maturo 27

Caption title: One of the most humanly appealing stories ever published in this magazine

Caption: "If Neil could make it. If he could get back in time." On page 17

Credit: Illustrations by Joseph A. Maturo

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Comments to Gail Novak novak@ncf.edu Librarians or Teachers, and their students may each make a personal copy for educational purposes only. The information published on this site is provided for educational and reference purposes only. The information is provided "as is" without warranty or condition of any kind. Links to other sites found on this site should not imply any endorsement of the external site or the content provided on the external site. Copyright (c) 2003 by Gail Novak. All Rights Reserved. All Rights Reserved for graphics. Individuals are granted a limited license to display and print the information for personal non-commercial purposes only. March 2005