DOI issue:
Special winter-number 1896-7
DOI article:Pennell, Joseph: Robert Louis Stevenson illustrator
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17298#0341
Robert Louis Stevenson, Illustrator
tions to Stevenson, from my point of view, were
made by Mr. Metcalf for The Wrecker, while others
were done by Mr. Hartrick for The Body Snatcher,
and Mr. A. W. Henley for the articles on Fon-
tainebleau. Stevenson's own preferences were for
work of a very different sort, and this is all the
more strange because, in his life at Barbizon and
Paris, he had associated with many of the most
distinguished artists of the century. Yet, I think
it would be hard to find that they had had any
apparent influence upon him. I remember on one
occasion he published letters in praise of certain
illustrations that had appeared in one of his stories,
but, with the best will in the world, I have to admit
myself incapable of sharing his admiration. In-
deed, one might imagine that Stevenson- did not
understand, or possibly care for, graphic art in the
least, if it were not for the little books, from
which several of the illustrations in this article are
taken, as well as the original drawings here repro-
duced from a sketch-book which he carried with
him to the Cevennes. These prove most decidedly
that he had a great interest and delight in a cer-
tain form of art, and that he got an enormous
amount of fun and amusement out of it. Thank
Heaven, for him it was not serious nor pompous
nor ponderous, not self-conscious nor precious. It
was like all his work, gay and bright, full of life
and go, and honest. We hear much nowadays of
the books designed, decorated and engraved by
the same artist—perfect conditions never before
realised, so we are warned, even by the more con-
scientious and accomplished craftsmen of the past.
But, after all, though it was without vain boast or
complacent pose, Stevenson and Mr. Lloyd Os-
bourne, in the delicious series of little books pro-
duced between them, quietly fulfilled these much
vaunted conditions. Possibly they did not design
the type, but then they wrote the books and printed
them, which surely would more than make up for
the single shortcoming. Certainly it is safe to say
that one of their pages, or even the advertisement,
is worth a whole library of affectation.
All of Stevenson's works are supposed to have
been published in every possible form, from the
penny print to the tall paper copy. But, though
it may come somewhat as a surprise to collectors
of Stevenson, there is a whole series of books
which have been issued in but one edition, and
even the British Museum has only two of them.
To many it will be still more of a surprise to learn
that in this set Mr. Stevenson appears as draughts-
man and engraver, as well as author; and not only
this, but also apparently as the designer of posters.
For chief source of inspiration it seems likely that
Stevenson, the illustrator, went to the beloved
" Penny Plain " of his childhood. Has he not
placed it on record that he was then " but a
puppet in the hand of Skelt ? " And it is clear that
the illustrations of his later years have borrowed
something from the scenery of Skeltdom. " How
18
the roads wander, how the castle sits upon the
hill, how the sun eradiates from behind the cloud,
and how the congregated clouds themselves up-
roll as stiff as bolsters." When he wrote that
might he not have been describing his own crea-
tions ? though it is true that he added an un-
mistakable original quality to his version of the
early models.
This series of books, so far as I have been able to
find out, consists of the following : Not I and other
Poems, by Robert Louis Stevenson, announced by
the author, with distinguished modesty, to be a
" volume of enchanting poetry ■ " there are no illus-
trations to this. Moral Emblems, the First Series,
which, the author says, " has only to be seen to be
admired ;" and the Second Collection of which I
MORAL
EMBLEMS
Collection of Cuti and Verttt.
By
no BERT LOUIS STEVENSON.
Author of
The Blue Scalper, Travels with a Don-
keytreasure Island, Not 1 etc,
Priatwsi
S, L OSBOURNE JL eOMNUSV.
bavos-Plats*
FACSIMILE OF TITLE-PAGE OF "MORAL EMBLEMS"
own the poster reproduced on page 20. The book
was published in two forms as an " edition de luxe,
tall paper, extra fine," and to this edition I imagine
my copy belongs; and in a " popular edition for
the million, small paper, cuts slightly worn, a great
bargain." Was there ever such an honest pub-
lisher? These were issued about 1881 from the
press, not so well-known as it will be, of S. L.
Osbourne & Co., Davos Platz, Switzerland, and
were to be obtained from the " publishers and all
respectable booksellers." Later on a third volume
appeared : The Graver and the Pen or Scenes
from Nature with appropriate Verses, illustrated by
the author of Not I, Moral Emblems, Treasure
Island, &c. The printing office had by this time
been moved to Edinburgh and established at No.
tions to Stevenson, from my point of view, were
made by Mr. Metcalf for The Wrecker, while others
were done by Mr. Hartrick for The Body Snatcher,
and Mr. A. W. Henley for the articles on Fon-
tainebleau. Stevenson's own preferences were for
work of a very different sort, and this is all the
more strange because, in his life at Barbizon and
Paris, he had associated with many of the most
distinguished artists of the century. Yet, I think
it would be hard to find that they had had any
apparent influence upon him. I remember on one
occasion he published letters in praise of certain
illustrations that had appeared in one of his stories,
but, with the best will in the world, I have to admit
myself incapable of sharing his admiration. In-
deed, one might imagine that Stevenson- did not
understand, or possibly care for, graphic art in the
least, if it were not for the little books, from
which several of the illustrations in this article are
taken, as well as the original drawings here repro-
duced from a sketch-book which he carried with
him to the Cevennes. These prove most decidedly
that he had a great interest and delight in a cer-
tain form of art, and that he got an enormous
amount of fun and amusement out of it. Thank
Heaven, for him it was not serious nor pompous
nor ponderous, not self-conscious nor precious. It
was like all his work, gay and bright, full of life
and go, and honest. We hear much nowadays of
the books designed, decorated and engraved by
the same artist—perfect conditions never before
realised, so we are warned, even by the more con-
scientious and accomplished craftsmen of the past.
But, after all, though it was without vain boast or
complacent pose, Stevenson and Mr. Lloyd Os-
bourne, in the delicious series of little books pro-
duced between them, quietly fulfilled these much
vaunted conditions. Possibly they did not design
the type, but then they wrote the books and printed
them, which surely would more than make up for
the single shortcoming. Certainly it is safe to say
that one of their pages, or even the advertisement,
is worth a whole library of affectation.
All of Stevenson's works are supposed to have
been published in every possible form, from the
penny print to the tall paper copy. But, though
it may come somewhat as a surprise to collectors
of Stevenson, there is a whole series of books
which have been issued in but one edition, and
even the British Museum has only two of them.
To many it will be still more of a surprise to learn
that in this set Mr. Stevenson appears as draughts-
man and engraver, as well as author; and not only
this, but also apparently as the designer of posters.
For chief source of inspiration it seems likely that
Stevenson, the illustrator, went to the beloved
" Penny Plain " of his childhood. Has he not
placed it on record that he was then " but a
puppet in the hand of Skelt ? " And it is clear that
the illustrations of his later years have borrowed
something from the scenery of Skeltdom. " How
18
the roads wander, how the castle sits upon the
hill, how the sun eradiates from behind the cloud,
and how the congregated clouds themselves up-
roll as stiff as bolsters." When he wrote that
might he not have been describing his own crea-
tions ? though it is true that he added an un-
mistakable original quality to his version of the
early models.
This series of books, so far as I have been able to
find out, consists of the following : Not I and other
Poems, by Robert Louis Stevenson, announced by
the author, with distinguished modesty, to be a
" volume of enchanting poetry ■ " there are no illus-
trations to this. Moral Emblems, the First Series,
which, the author says, " has only to be seen to be
admired ;" and the Second Collection of which I
MORAL
EMBLEMS
Collection of Cuti and Verttt.
By
no BERT LOUIS STEVENSON.
Author of
The Blue Scalper, Travels with a Don-
keytreasure Island, Not 1 etc,
Priatwsi
S, L OSBOURNE JL eOMNUSV.
bavos-Plats*
FACSIMILE OF TITLE-PAGE OF "MORAL EMBLEMS"
own the poster reproduced on page 20. The book
was published in two forms as an " edition de luxe,
tall paper, extra fine," and to this edition I imagine
my copy belongs; and in a " popular edition for
the million, small paper, cuts slightly worn, a great
bargain." Was there ever such an honest pub-
lisher? These were issued about 1881 from the
press, not so well-known as it will be, of S. L.
Osbourne & Co., Davos Platz, Switzerland, and
were to be obtained from the " publishers and all
respectable booksellers." Later on a third volume
appeared : The Graver and the Pen or Scenes
from Nature with appropriate Verses, illustrated by
the author of Not I, Moral Emblems, Treasure
Island, &c. The printing office had by this time
been moved to Edinburgh and established at No.