16 Facts About Joseph Csatari

Joseph Csatari was an American artist, born in South River, New Jersey, the son of John and Emma Csatari, who were Hungarian immigrants.

In 1977, shortly before Rockwell died, Joseph Csatari was commissioned as the Boy Scouts of America's official artist.

Joseph Csatari studied art at the Academy of Arts, Newark, New Jersey and at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.

Joseph Csatari's job was to come up with possible themes for the paintings and make rough sketches for Rockwell.

Once Rockwell decided on a concept, Joseph Csatari would gather models and shuttle them up for a photo shoot in the artist's studio in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

Joseph Csatari often assisted Rockwell on his work at this time as by then Rockwell was aging.

In 1976 when Rockwell retired from the calendar commission, the BSA asked Joseph Csatari to continue in the Rockwell tradition.

Joseph Csatari said that while he painted in Rockwell's style, he was no Rockwell, whom he considered in another league.

Since the 1977 BSA calendar, Joseph Csatari made 24 paintings for the Boy Scouts of America, including a painting commemorating the endowment program's 1910 Society.

Joseph Csatari became a freelance artist in 1977 and painted for many magazines and companies, as well as having painted designs for two US postage stamps and several book covers.

Joseph Csatari lived in South River, New Jersey, where he maintained an art studio at his home, and had a wife and three children.

Joseph Csatari received several awards of excellence in Editorial Art Directing from the Society of Illustrators, New York.

In early June 2005, Joseph Csatari was awarded the BSA's highest honor, the Silver Buffalo Award.

In 2008, a twelve-city US tour of Norman Rockwell's and Joseph Csatari's artworks was scheduled.

Joseph Csatari did not mind these comparisons and critiques, nor did Rockwell.

Joseph Csatari died on April 14,2025, at the age of 96 at Traditions of Hanover in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a seniors retirement community.