James R. McConnell

Portrait of aviator James R. McConnell, rendered by English-born artist John Elliott. McConnell served as a pilot in World War I, flying for the French air service before the United States entered the conflict. Elliott captures the subject in flying gear—leather jacket and goggles pushed up on his cap—a visual shorthand for the emerging heroism of aviation. The soft, sketch-like technique was common in wartime portraiture, emphasizing human character over photographic precision. McConnell's service exemplified the adventurers who made aviation a public fascination, transforming the airplane from mechanical curiosity into instrument of modern warfare and celebrity.