It is in England alone, that illustration, like many other things, has been taken seriously. Ponderous volumes have been written about it, as well as clever essays. It seemed at first sight rather unnecessary to repeat what has been said so well by Mr. Austin Dobson, for example, in his chapter on modern illustrated books in Mr. Lang's "Library," especially as he has added a postscript to the edition of 1892 which is supposed to bring his essay up to that date. But there are other ways of looking at the matter, and I have tried not to repeat what Mr. Dobson has said, nor yet to trench upon the preserves of Mr. C. G. Harper and Mr. Hamerton, or Mr. Blackburn. BY HUGH THOMSON. FROM “OUR VILLAGE” (MACMILLAN). BY RANDOLPH CALDECOTT. FROM “THE ELEGY ON A MAD DOG” (ROUTLEDGE). BY TURNER. FROM ROGERS’ “ITALY,” 1830. It appears to me, that before discussing the English BY RANDOLPH CALDECOTT. FROM “BRACEBRIDGE HALL” (MACMILLAN, 1877). While the magazines I have mentioned were being published, the "Graphic" was started in 1870, taking on its staff most of the foremost artists of BY E. GRISET. FROM HOOD’S “COMIC ANNUAL” (1878). When I commenced this book I have no hesitation in admitting that my knowledge of the really I knew of "Good Words," "Once a Week," and the "Shilling Magazine," "Dalziel's Bible Gallery," and a few other books, but I had never seen and never even heard of the great mass of work produced during those ten years; even now, I am only slowly beginning to learn about and see something of it. But a day is coming when the books issued between 1860 and 1870, in this country, will be sought for and treasured up, when the few original drawings that are still in existence will be striven for by collectors, as they struggle for Rembrandt's etchings to-day. The source from which the English illustrators of 1860 got their inspiration was Adolph Menzel's books; pre-Raphaelites and all came under the influence of this great artist. The change from the style of Harvey, Cruikshank, Kenny Meadows, Leech and S. Read, to Rossetti, Sandys, Houghton, Pinwell, Walker, Millais, was almost as great as from the characterless steel engraving of the beginning of the century to the vital work of Bewick. The first English book to appear after Menzel's work became known, was William Allingham's "The Music Master," 1855, illustrated by Arthur Hughes, Rossetti and Millais; the first book of that period which still lives is Moxon's edition of Tennyson published in 1857, containing Rossetti's drawings for "The Palace of Art" and "Sir Galahad"; Millais' "St. Agnes' Eve," and Holman Hunt's "Lady of Shalott." These drawings BY SIR J. E. MILLAIS, BART. WOOD-ENGRAVING BY DALZIEL. FROM “GOOD WORDS” (ISBISTER AND CO.). Far more important and more complete is Sir John Gilbert's edition of Shakespeare published by Routledge in three volumes, 1858 to 1860. This edition of Shakespeare has yet, as a whole, to be surpassed. In 1859 "Once a Week" was started by Bradbury and Evans, and the first volume contained illustrations by H. K. Browne ("Phiz"), G. H. Bennett, W. Harvey, Charles Keene, W. J. Lawless, John Leech, Sir J. E. Millais, Sir John Tenniel, J. Wolf; this is the veritable connecting link between the work of the past as exemplified by Harvey, and of the present by Keene. The next year, 1860, the "Cornhill" appeared, for the first number of which Thackeray, more or less worked over by ghosts, and engravers, did the illustrations to "Lovel the Widower," but Millais was called in for the second or third number, and then George Sala. Frederick Sandys illustrated "The Legend of the Portent," and the volume ends with Millais' splendid design "Was it not a lie?" to "Framley Parsonage." It is curious to note that either Thackeray or the publishers refuse to mention the names of the artists in any way, only that Millais and Sala are allowed to sign their designs with their monograms. Leighton, I imagine, contributed the "Great God Pan" to the second volume, and Dicky Doyle began his "Bird's Eye Views of Society" in the third, but it is not until The first drawing signed by Walker faces p. 556, "Nurse and Doctor," and illustrates Thackeray's "Adventures of Philip;" this is in May, 1861. "Good Words" was also started in 1860; in it in 1863 Millais' "Parables" were printed, as well as work by Holman Hunt, Keene and Walker, while A. Boyd Houghton, Frederick Sandys, Pinwell, North, Pettie, Armstead, Graham, and many others began to come to the front in this magazine and "Once a Week." About 1865 nearly as many good illustrated magazines must have been issued as there are to-day; not only were the three I have mentioned continued, but "The Argosy," "The Sunday Magazine," and "The Shilling Magazine," among others, printed fine work by all these artists. BY SIR J. E. MILLAIS, BART. WOOD-ENGRAVING BY DALZIEL. FROM “GOOD WORDS” (ISBISTER AND CO.). The illustration was done in a curious, but very interesting sort of way. The entire illustration began to be undertaken by two firms, Messrs. Dalziel and Swain—and I believe in the case of "Good Words" the same system is still carried on by Mr. Edward Whymper. These firms commissioned the drawings from the artists, and then engraved them. The method seems to have been so successful that the engravers, notably the Dalziels, began not only to employ artists to In 1864 Messrs. Dalziel, who had already engraved for "Good Words" in the previous year Millais' "Parables of Our Lord," published them through Routledge. This book, in an atrocious binding described as elaborate, and it truly is, bound up so badly that it has broken all to pieces printed with some text in red and black, contains much of the finest work Millais ever did. Nothing could exceed in dramatic power, in effect of light and shade, "The Enemy sowing Tares," to mention one block among so many that are good. But the whole book is excellent, and excessively rare in its first edition. But 1865 is the most notable year of all; in this "Dalziel's Illustrated Arabian Nights' Entertain "Among artists and those who care at all deeply for the great things of art, he cannot be forgotten: for them his work is too much an influence and a problem. And though officially the Academy shuts its mouth at him ... certain of its leading lights have been heard unofficially to declare that he was the greatest artist" who has appeared in England in black and white. In '65, also, his "Home Thoughts and Home Scenes" was published, much less imaginative than his later work, but containing more beauty; and after this, for ten years, he worked prodigiously, and yet excellently. His edition of "Don Quixote" (F. Warne and Co.), must be sought for in the most out-of-the-way places; easier to find are his "Kuloff's Fables," '69 (Strahan), and best known of all, the drawings in the early numbers of the "Graphic,"—the American series—which were not BY A. BOYD HOUGHTON. FROM DALZIEL’S “ARABIAN NIGHTS” (WARD, LOCK AND CO., 1865). BY A. BOYD HOUGHTON. FROM DALZIEL’S “ARABIAN NIGHTS” (WARD, LOCK AND CO.), 1865. BY G. J. PINWELL. FOR “GOLDSMITH’ WORKS” (WARD, LOCK AND CO.). PROCESS BLOCK FROM THE ORIGINAL DRAWING ON THE WOOD IN SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEUM. Cassells may have been the originators of this sort of illustrated book, or only the followers of a style which became immensely popular. They issued many works by DorÉ about the same time or later, and a "Gulliver," by T. Morten, among others, but as this volume is not dated, I am unable to say when it appeared—still to this day they keep up the system of publishing illustrated books in parts at a low rate. But soon expensive gift books, illustrated by Houghton, Pinwell, North, and Walker, began to appear, perfectly new unpublished works: in 1866 "A Round of Days" was issued by Routledge; Walker, North, Pinwell, and T. Dalziel, come off best in this gorgeous morocco covered volume, especially the last, who contributes a notable nocturne, the beauty of night, discovered by Whistler, being appreciated by artists, even while Ruskin was busy reviling or ignoring these illustrators. Houghton's edition of "Don Quixote" also belongs to this year. How In 1867, "Wayside Posies," and "Jean Ingelow's Poems" were published by Routledge and Longmans. These two books reach the high-water mark of English illustration, North and Pinwell surpass themselves, the one in landscape and the other in figures. T. Dalziel also did some amazing studies of mist, rain, and night, which I imagine were absolutely unnoticed by the critics. The drawings, however, must have been popular, for Smith and Elder reprinted the Walkers and Millais', among others, from the "Cornhill" in a "Gallery" (this also included Leightons and, I think, one Sandys), and Strahan the Millais drawings in another portfolio. The "Cornhill Gallery," printed, it is said, from the original blocks, came out in 1864, possibly as an atonement for the shabby way in which the artists were treated in the magazine originally. BY G. J. PINWELL. FOR “GOLDSMITH’ WORKS” (WARD, LOCK AND CO.). PROCESS BLOCK FROM THE ORIGINAL DRAWING ON THE WOOD IN SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEUM. BY FRED. WALKER. PROCESS BLOCK FROM AN ORIGINAL STUDY IN THE POSSESSION OF THE AUTHOR. In 1868, "The North Coast," by Robert Buchanan, was issued by Routledge; it has much good work by Houghton hidden away in it. In the next year the "Graphic" started, and these books virtually ceased to appear—why, I know not. There were some spasmodic efforts, most notable of which were Whymper's magnificent "Scrambles amongst the Alps," 1871, containing T. Mahoney's best drawings and Whymper's best engraving; and "Historical and Legendary Ballads," Chatto and Windus, 1876; in this book, made up from the early numbers of the magazines, Whistler, it is true, illustrated a "Catalogue of Blue and White Nankin Porcelain," published by Ellis and White, 1878, a very interesting work, mainly in colours. But Sandys' drawings must be looked for in the magazines alone. I know of no book that he ever illustrated, a few volumes contain one or two, that is all; his drawings are separate distinct works of art, every print from them worthy of the portfolio of the collector. Dalziels issued at least two books later on, magnificent India proofs of "English Rustic Pictures," printed from the original blocks by Pinwell and Walker, done for the books I have mentioned, this volume is undated; and their Bible Gallery in 1881 (the drawings were made long before), to which all the best-known artists contributed, though the result was not altogether an artistic success; but most notable drawings by Ford Madox-Brown, Leighton, Sandys, Poynter, Burne-Jones, S. Solomon, Houghton, and T. Dalziel, are included in it. This is the last great book illustrated by a band of artists and engravers working together in this country; whether the results are satisfactory or not, the fact remains that the engravers were most enthusiastic, and encouraged the artists as no one has done since in the making of books; and the artists were the most distinguished that have ever Ten years later than the "Graphic" came the introduction of process, and process was employed in England mainly for one reason only: cheapness. Bad cheap process—which by the way is very little worse than cheap wood-engraving—has been responsible in this country for more vile work than in all the rest of the world put together. The development of process has brought with it not only truth of reproduction, which is its aim, but evils which its inventors did not anticipate. BY F. SANDYS. FROM THORNBURY’S “LEGENDARY BALLADS” (CHATTO AND WINDOS). Too many process-engravers encourage the most commonplace, because it is the easiest, work. They know perfectly well that mechanical engraving will reproduce almost any drawings at the present moment, but then, good reproduction demands time and trouble and artistic intelligence. But it is no wonder that process-engravers are indifferent, when we remember the lamentable ignorance displayed by some editors, whose knowledge I am happy to say that this state of affairs is by no means universal in England; but I regret that there seems to be a tendency in some quarters to prefer bad work because it is usually cheap. On the other hand, there are many notable exceptions: intelligent publishers, editors, artists, and process-engravers, who strive to do good work and expect to pay, or be paid, for it. But this state of things BY FREDERICK SHIELDS. FROM DEFOE’S “HISTORY OF THE PLAGUE” (LONGMANS, 1863). Now I do not hold for a moment that the man who is generally accepted as the leader of the pre-Raphaelite movement, Rossetti, had any desire to reform anybody, or improve anything. A certain form of art interested him, and he succeeded in reviving it for himself, though he put himself and his century into his drawings. It is the same with Sir Edward Burne-Jones, and Mr. William Morris, Ignorance of printing and of the improvements in that art is really in this country too awful to contemplate. The average critic will blame a competent artist for the imperfections of a process and the ignorance of a printer. It never occurs to this critic that he knows nothing practically about the subject. No attempt is made to surmount mechanical difficulties; no attempt is made to study improvements; one is simply told to work down to the lowest level and to copy the fads of an obsolete past. Quaintness and eccentricity, too, have their followers, and though both are dangerous games to play, still they imply, if good, such an amount of research, study, and invention, whether original or not, that from them good work may often come. Still I no longer dare to prophesy. I know not what a man will do or will not. There is possibility in every one. BY J. MAHONEY. FROM THE “SUNDAY MAGAZINE.” BY J. F. SULLIVAN. FROM HOOD’S “COMIC ANNUAL.” As for the other men who calmly go on doing their work in their own way, showing the process-engraver BY LINLEY SAMBOURNE. FROM KINGSLEY’S “WATER BABIES” (MACMILLAN). Of the older men, though Whistler has long ceased to illustrate, Du Maurier, Sidney Hall and William Small are still with us, producing characteristic designs. Charles Green carries on the excellent method which he developed in his illustrations to Dickens. Though J. Mahoney is dead, the present re-issue of Whymper's "Scrambles amongst the Alps" testifies marvellously to his powers. The late A. Boyd Houghton's abilities, too, are beginning to be appreciated, and his designs for the "Arabian Nights" are now being sought for as they never were during his lifetime. The success of Messrs. Macmillan's re-issue of the "Tennyson" of 1857 is gratifying proof that a large number of people do care for good work, and that the endeavour to swamp us with poor drawings, tedious photographs, and worn-out clichÉs will probably have its just reward. F. Sandys, one of the greatest of all, though still living, scarcely produces anything; F. Shields' designs for Defoe's "Plague" were Rembrandt-like in power; while H. Herkomer, in his illustrations to Hardy's "Tess of the D'Urbervilles," has, within the last few years, done some of his most striking work. Linley Sambourne, whose name was made years ago, pursues the even tenor of his ways, his reputation having been well secured by his BY (SIR) JOHN TENNIEL. ENGRAVED ON WOOD BY H. HARRAL. FROM GATTY’S “PARABLES” (BELL, 1867). BY W. G. BAXTER. FROM “ALLY SLOPER’S” CARTOONS. BY PHIL MAY. A PEN DRAWING FROM “THE GRAPHIC.” BY G. DU MAURIER. FROM “TRILBY” (OSGOOD, McILVAINE AND CO.). BY G. DU MAURIER. FROM “TRILBY” (OSGOOD, McILVAINE AND CO.). One therefore turns with interest to some of the younger men—men who have made and are making illustration their profession. Among them, one looks first to that erratic genius, Phil May, who has produced work which not only will live, but which successfully runs the gamut of all wit and humour. Nothing in its way has been done in England to approach his designs for the "Parson and the Painter." They appeared first in the pages of the "St. Stephen's Review," where they were scarcely seen by artists. But on their reappearance in book form, though even more badly printed than at first, what remained of them was good enough to make May's reputation. Between him and everyone else, there is a great gulf fixed, but the greatest is between May and his imitators. BY W. SMALL. FROM “CASSELL’S MAGAZINE.” BY W. SMALL. FROM “CASSELL’S MAGAZINE.” BY R. ANNING BELL. FROM AN ORIGINAL PEN DRAWING. Most of the younger men of individuality have studied abroad and, like Americans, have returned home more or less affected by continental ideas. It would be quite impossible for me to place any estimate on their work, or even attempt to describe it. But certainly it is to some of the new weekly and daily journals and less known monthlies that one must look for their illustrations. It seems to me that E. J. Sullivan, A. S. Hartrick, T. S. Crowther, H. R. Millar, F. Pegram, L. Raven-Hill, W. W. Russell are doing much to brighten the pages of the papers to which they contribute. Raven-Hill, Maurice Greiffenhagen, Edgar Wilson and Oscar Eckhardt have made a most interesting experiment BY J. BERNARD PARTRIDGE. FROM AUSTIN DOBSON’S “PROVERBS IN PORCELAIN” (KEGAN PAUL AND CO.). BY HOLMAN HUNT. FROM GATTY’S “PARABLES” (BELL, 1867). BY E. H. NEW. FROM A PEN DRAWING FOR “THE QUEST,” NO. 3. BY WINIFRED SMITH. FROM “CHILDREN’S SINGING GAMES” (NUTT). BY ALFRED PARSONS. FROM THE “ENGLISH ILLUSTRATED MAGAZINE.” I should like to discuss the schools that have been developed by the Arts and Crafts Society in Still, A. J. Gaskin, limiting himself in a way that seems quite unnecessary, has illustrated Andersen's "Fairy Tales" very well, if one adopts his standpoint. E. H. New has made portraits that are decorative; and, under Gaskin's direction, a little book of "Carols" has been illustrated by his pupils; while, in the same style, C. M. Gere and L. F. Muckley are doing notable work, and they are about to start a magazine "The Quest." The "Hobby Horse," the organ of the Century Guild, has contained many good designs by Herbert Horne and Selwyn Image. On much the same lines, too, Heywood Sumner, Henry Ryland, Reginald Hallward, Christopher Whall and others have been very successful. Nor can one ignore the initials and borders of William Morris, made for his own publications. There are dozens of artists, whose names, like their works, are household words, Forrestier, Montbard, W. L. Wyllie, Barnard, Nash, Overend, Wollen, Staniland, Caton Woodville, Durand, Stacey, Rainey, Barnes, and Walter Wilson, who have a power of rendering events of the day in a fashion unequalled elsewhere, and whose excellent designs are seen continuously in the pages of the "Graphic," the "Illustrated London News," and "Black and White." There is also another set who amaze us by their power of compelling editors BY ALFRED PARSONS. REDUCED FROM A LARGE DRAWING IN “THE DAILY CHRONICLE.” 1895. BY SIR GEORGE REID. FROM “THE LIFE OF A SCOTCH NATURALIST” (MURRAY). BY W. PAGET. FROM “CASSELL’S MAGAZINE.” Though wood-engraving is purely an English art, and though some of the greatest wood-engravers even in modern times have been Englishmen, the art no longer flourishes here as it should. The strongest of modern engravers, Cole and Linton, are both Englishmen, but their reputations are due chiefly to America. W. Biscombe Gardner is almost the only man who has continued to produce good interpretative work, engraving his own designs, while W. H. Hooper easily leads in facsimile work. This decline of wood-engraving has been especially felt by such important firms as Dalziel and Swain. An International Society of Wood-engravers has lately been started, and one hopes its members will succeed in the task they have set themselves: that of encouraging original wood-engraving. In colour-printing England has always held a leading place, the work of Edmund Evans and the Leighton Brothers being universally appreciated. A very strong endeavour is being made by Messrs. Way to revive original lithography. As this art is now beginning to be again practised by eminent artists, there is every probability that their efforts will be successful. "Vanity Fair" has always been illustrated by chromo-lithography, and in it appeared the work of the late Carlo Perugini, while "Spy" and others still carry out his methods. The architectural papers also use, mainly, photo-lithography for reproducing the drawings which they print. In England the fashion of making pictorial BY L. RAVEN-HILL. FROM “THE BUTTERFLY.” BY L. RAVEN-HILL. FROM “THE BUTTERFLY.” BY EDGAR WILSON. PROCESS BLOCK FROM THE ORIGINAL DRAWING FOR “THE UNICORN.” BY C. E. MALLOWS. FROM THE ORIGINAL DRAWING, PUBLISHED IN “THE BUILDER.” Whether the idea of the "special artist on the spot" originated in England or not, I cannot say; certainly he was employed, and his work acknowledged in the early numbers of the "Illustrated London News." But, at any rate, many English BY R. CATON WOODVILLE. REDUCED FROM “THE ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS.” BY SYDNEY P. HALL. PEN DRAWING FROM “THE GRAPHIC.” BY AUBREY BEARDSLEY. FROM A DRAWING IN THE POSSESSION OF THE AUTHOR. BY WALTER WILSON. REDUCED FROM “THE ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS.” BY F. S. CHURCH. FROM AN ETCHING IN “THE CONTINENT.”
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