Han W. Wessolowski (better known as H.W. Wesso) was born in Germany in 1894 and lost his left eye as a child.  Because he had a glass eye, he was exempt from military service and was free to study art at the Berlin Academy of Art.  He joined the merchant marines in 1910 and spent two years traveling the world on a steamship.  In 1912, when his ship was sailing through the Gulf of Mexico, Hans jumped overboard and swam all the way to New Orleans.  From there, he worked odd jobs and made his way to New York City.  In 1913, he became an American citizen and started to pursue a career as a commercial illustrator.

He sold his first science fiction illustration to Amazing Stories in 1929 and soon became one of the most popular artists in the sci-fi pulp field.  Though he was only 53 when he died after a short illness, Wesso’s work continues to be highly acclaimed and sought after by collectors.

A small sampling can be found below.