Born Leavenworth, Mar. 9, 1875; died Westport, CT, 1921. Illustrator. Painter, specialized in western subjects. Sculptor. At age 16, he and his family moved to St, Paul, MN, and he worked for the Minneapolis Journal. He studied at Harwood Art School in Albuquerque, NM. At the age of 20, he became a staff artist for the New York World while living in New York City, NY. In 1897-99 He and painter Albert Levering studied at Munich Academy. He later returned to New York and worked as a book and magazine illustrator. He made trips west for material and, in 1902, met Charles Russell in Montana. Marchand hosted Russell in New York introducing him to art editors and publishers and sharing his studio. Marchand moved to Westport, CT in 1904.

Born and living as a youth in Leavenworth, Kansas, John Marchand became a painter, sculptor and prolific illustrator whose work reflected 'western' influences. Despite a brief career, he was prolific, completing illustrations for thirty-five books including Girl of the Golden West and Arizona: A Romance of The Great Southwest, written by Augustus Thomas and Cyrus Townsend Brady.

Growing up in western frontier country, Marchand had first-hand familiarity with Indian Territory. At age 16, he and his family moved to St. Paul, Minnesota. He studied at the Harwood Art School in Minneapolis, and had a job for the Minneapolis Journal. At age 20, he became staff artist for the New York World, and from 1897 to 1899, he and painter Albert Levering studied at the Munich Academy in Germany.

Returning to New York City, he became an illustrator, and made trips West for material. In 1902, he met Charles Russell in Montana and later hosted him in New York, having persuaded him to visit that city. There, Marchand introduced Russell to major art editors, publishers, and other well-known people, and Russell shared Marchand's studio where Marchand did a portrait bust of Russell.

He married in 1904 and moved to Westport, Connecticut where he died at age forty-six. He had been a member of the Illustrators Club and Salmagundi Club of New York.

Sources:
Peter Hastings Falk, Who Was Who in American Art
Harold and Peggy Samuels, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Artists of the American West
www.Amazon.com

Rare Discovery of Historial Paintings in Indiana Meat Market

THREE OAKS — For 70 years, there were two rare and historic paintings hanging on the wall of a local meat market. The paintings have hung on the wall of Drier's for 70 years. The present owner's father discovered them back in the 50s in an old barn. The barn owner let him have them and he hung them up in the meat shop. For years they collected dust, soot and the smell of fresh meat on the walls of the store.

Nevertheless, a little while ago, someone offered $10,000 for the paintings. Getting suspicious about the value, the owner talked to a local gallery owner and the paintings turned out to be by John Marchand.

In the end, the paintings sold for over $100,000. The owner of the meat market has replicas made to hang in the store.

Source:
WSBT Wednesday, May 29th, 2019 https://wsbt.com/news/local/rare-historic-paintings-found-hanging-on-walls-of-local-meat-market
Information courtesy of Barry Lee Myers