See ‘Howard Chandler Christy: A Golden Age Master, From the Trembly Family Collection’ in Zanesville

Brushstrokes of green blend across a light blue, cloudy sky, their colors mirrored in the still water below. At the center, a grand fountain with mystical statues spouts water into the air. Yet, the true focal point lies in the face of the woman in a sage green hat and salmon jacket in the right corner who feels vividly alive. 

This blend of realism and romanticism is signature Howard Chandler Christy. Born in Morgan County, Ohio, the prolific painter modeled his subjects after real people, capturing them with such intimacy that they seemed to breathe on the canvas.

The artwork, “Sketch for Balboa Fountain,” now belongs to Annette Trembly, whose great aunt was married to Christy’s brother. For the first time, Trembly is loaning her extensive Howard Chandler Christy collection, which her family has compiled and researched, to the Zanesville Museum of Art for a special exhibition on display Oct. 23 through April 4, 2026. 

“Howard Chandler Christy: A Golden Age Master, From the Trembly Family Collection” features portraits, landscapes, sculptures, photographs and illustrations, showcasing work from throughout the artist’s lifetime, much of which has yet to be seen by the public. 

“There hasn’t been a Christy exhibition like this one for quite a long time,” says Laine Snyder, executive director at the Zanesville Museum of Art. “Now is the time to talk about Christy [and] his prolific career. We just feel like the Zanesville Museum of Art is the place to do it because it’s near his hometown. It’s his legacy.” 

Christy became renowned for his illustration of the Christy Girl, a symbol of modern womanhood that graced publications supporting American troops during World War I. The Christy Girl embodied a new vision of femininity that was no longer confined to the domestic sphere. 

“He was able to capture not just their likeness,” Snyder says, “but their inner spirits; what’s going on behind their eyes.”

620 Military Rd., Zanesville 43701, 740/452-0741, zanesvilleart.org 

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