Days of Knights

Back in the days of knights were the dark ages, when superstition ruled the senses. I should like to visit a forest like this.

Sir John Gilbert — The Enchanted Forest — 1886

Ride, Boldly Ride

Eric Kincaid — Eldorado

One of the Great Penmen

I've been on such a harsh deadline for so long now that I forgot what it's like to have a little goof-off time, like making a serious blog post. I have a lot of great stuff already scanned and in a docket, waiting for clean-up and organizing, but haven't had the time.

Well I finally got to this lovely 1901 book, Undine and Aslauga's Knight, illustrated by Harold Nelson, one of the great penmen of the golden age of illustration (I know, that's a lonnnng golden age). Nelson was of the age of Walter Crane and Howard Pyle and H.J. Ford, all who penned in a similar formal way, each with magical results.

I've included a bit of the text here and there, because it too is magical and part of the context of the book design.

Comparison Study

I love comparison studies—whether one image inspires another, or the images develop along parallel lines. This version of St. George is by Walter Crane, from Book I of Spenser's Faerie Queene, published in the 1890s. This drawing predates the Harold Nelson drawing of the last post. Both images were undoubtedly inspired by many a painting of St. George prior to their times.

St George

Harold Nelson (1871—1948) is one of my favorite ink illustrators, though it doesn't seem his body of work is as large as it might be hoped for. Primarily known for his book-plate designs, he illustrated several books, one of which I will post soon. The St George image shown above was, I believe, originally drawn for Spenser's Faerie Queene; but this version with coloration is from an early XXth century Inland Printer periodical insert, advertising a paper mill. One of my very favorite images.

Nelson submitted a similar design for the British Wembley stamp in January 1924. It was not accepted for that, but formed the basis for the £1 Postal Union Congress stamp of 1929:

It's interesting to see the changes made from concept design to issue: