Charles Parsons

1821-1910

British/American (New York, New York)

Artist and lithographer Charles Parsons was born in Hampshire, England in 1821. He emigrated to the united States at 9, apprenticing as a lithographer under George Endicott from 1833. Parsons produced numerous lithographs for Endicott and Company, but also engraved for Nathaniel Currier, later Currier and Ives. In 1863 he became the art director for Harper's Publishing, a position he held until 1889, when he retired. Parsons was influential in the development of American illustration and lithography.