Background
Albert Wilfred Barbelle was born on February 15th, 1887 in Fall River, Massachusetts to Wilfred and Marie Barbelle.
Albert Wilfred Barbelle was born on February 15th, 1887 in Fall River, Massachusetts to Wilfred and Marie Barbelle.
As a teenager, he began formal art study in Paris and London, and studied traditional and commercial art
He also illustrated the first Mickey Mouse book He was of French Canadian and American descent. Barbelle was one of five children.
In the 1910s, he returned from Europe to attend the Art Student League in New York City.
He was contracted as an advertising and sheet music cover artist. From 1912, Barbelle"s covers started to be published, and he became a commercial artist and designer for the publishing house, Waterson, Berlin & Snyder.
By the 1920s, Barbelle became a studio artist. Albert Wilfred Barbelle became involved with music after marrying the composer and pianist, Paula Fuchs.
She composed Dusting Stars Around the Moon, and Barbelle provided the cover art
He was an active artist in the community and with the Staten Island Museum in New York City. Barbelle"s career as a cover artist spanned for forty-four years. Barbelle was married three times.
They soon divorced.
After marrying Fuchs, the couple remained in New York, later moving to Staten Island. After two months of illness, Barbelle died on February 3rd, 1957, two weeks before his 70th birthday.