John Henry Vanderpoel (November 15, 1857 – May 2, 1911), born Johannes (Jan) van der Poel,[1] was a Dutch-American artist and teacher, best known as an instructor of figure drawing.
His book The Human Figure, published in 1907, featured many of his pencil and charcoal drawings, and became a standard textbook for art school students.
[2] George Bridgman wrote in a foreword included in some editions of the book: "[Vanderpoel's] insight into nature was the result of a lifetime of earnest, patient and persistent study.
He analyzed and recorded the human figure both in mass and detail; in good taste and discriminating judgment, with a closeness to nature that has never been equaled.
"[11] In 1910, Vanderpoel moved to St. Louis, accepting an offer from Edward Gardner Lewis to join the faculty of People's University as head of the Art Academy's drawing and painting department.