Of the Decorative Illustration of Books Old and New: 3rd ed.Crane, Walter
History
Of the Decorative Illustration of Books Old and New: 3rd ed.
Crane, Walter
Book ornamentation -- History; Illumination of books and manuscripts; Illustrated books -- Bibliography; Illustration of books
The able artists of "Punch," however, from John Leech to Linley
Sambourne, have done much to keep alive a vigorous style of drawing in
line, which, in the case of Mr. Sambourne, is united with great
invention, graphic force, and designing power. In speaking of "Punch,"
one ought not to forget either the important part played by "Once a Week"
in introducing many first-rate artists in line. In its early days we had
Charles Keene illustrating Charles Reade's "Good Fight," with much
feeling for the decorative effect of the old German woodcut. Such
admirable artists as M. J. Lawless and Frederick Sandys--the latter
especially distinguished for his splendid line drawings in "Once a Week"
and "The Cornhill;" one of his finest is here given, "The Old Chartist,"
which accompanied a poem by Mr. George Meredith. Indeed, it is impossible
to speak too highly of Mr. Sandys' draughtsmanship and power of
expression by means of line; he is one of our modern English masters who
has never, I think, had justice done to him.
[Illustration: F. SANDYS.
"THE OLD CHARTIST." ("ONCE A WEEK," 1861.)]
[Illustration: M. J. LAWLESS.
"DEAD LOVE." ("ONCE A WEEK," 1862.)]
I can only just briefly allude to certain powerful and original modern
designers of Germany, where indeed, the old vigorous traditions of
woodcut and illustrative drawing seem to have been kept more unbroken
than elsewhere.
On the purely character-drawing, pictorial and illustrative side, there
is of course Menzel, thoroughly modern, realistic, and dramatic. I am
thinking more perhaps of such men as Alfred Rethel, whose designs of
"Death the Friend" and "Death the Enemy," two large woodcuts, are well
known. I remember also a very striking series of designs of his, a kind
of modern "Dance of Death," which appeared about 1848, I think. Schwind
is another whose designs to folk tales are thoroughly German in spirit
and imagination, and style of drawing. Oscar Pletsch, too, is
remarkable for his feeling for village life and children, and many of his
illustrations have been reproduced in this country. More recent evidence,
and more directly in the decorative direction, of the vigour and
ornamental skill of German designers, is to be found in those picturesque
calendars, designed by Otto Hupp, which come from Munich, and show
something very like the old feeling of Burgmair, especially in the
treatment of the heraldry.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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