DOI Heft:
No. 312 (March 1919)
DOI Artikel:Colman, S.: Byam Shaw: an appreciation
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21357#0062
By am Shaw: an Appreciation
recalling the remarkable series of pictures which, was always animated by the spirit of his
with their poetic significance, graphic fertility, theme. The books he illustrated are too nu-
and vivid colouring, set everybody talking of merous for mention here, but it is sufficient to
the brilliant young artist. Poems of Rossetti say that his right to an enduring place among
inspired several of these: Rose-Marie,, Circle- eminent English book-illustrators may be
wise sit they, Silent Noon, and Love's Baubles— founded upon his illustrations to Shakespeare
a picture instinct with gaiety and rhythmic (400 drawings for the " Chiswick Shakespeare "),
grace, in which the peculiar loveliness of a Browning's Poems, Boccaccio's " Decameron,"
Rossetti sonnet found joyous interpretation. Reade's " Cloister and the Hearth," " The
Of this period, too, one remembers Truth, The Pilgrim's Progress," and " King Cole's Book of
Queen of Hearts, The Queen of Spades, the Nursery Rhymes." Some of his allegorical car-
ambitious Love the Conqueror, and Whither ?— toons were of a masterly distinction, especially
an original allegory of love. those inspired by strong emotions of pity or
One can but rejoice that early in his indignation aroused by incidents of tragic human
career Byam Shaw addressed himself to pen- significance, as, for instance, the sinking of the
and-ink work, and realized that the special "Lusitania." when his graphic expression reached
qualities of his mind and art pointed to book- its climax of beauty in design. S. Colaian.
illustration as pre-emi-
nently his metier. It is as
a book - illustrator, the
writer ventures to think,
that he will be most
gratefully remembered.
His decorative instinct has
already been alluded to ;
in his book - illustration
design had always refer-
ence to the printed page
and its place in the book,
an artistic condition which
from the first stamped his
work with distinction.
Although he illustrated
certain books in colours,
" The Garden of Kama "
being perhaps the most
appealing, his colour was
generally too insistently
vivid for harmonious
charm, but with the con-
trasting values of black
and white he could com-
mand his design to impres-
sive and beautiful effect.
His range of subject was
extraordinarily wide, his
imaginative insight being
so far-reaching, his fancy
and humour so flexibly
responsive, his sympathies
so comprehending, while illustration to "king cole's book of nursery rhymes'
his accomplished draughts- by byam shaw, a.r.w.s.
manship, frankly academic, (By permission of Messrs. Macmillan & Co., Ltd.)
46
recalling the remarkable series of pictures which, was always animated by the spirit of his
with their poetic significance, graphic fertility, theme. The books he illustrated are too nu-
and vivid colouring, set everybody talking of merous for mention here, but it is sufficient to
the brilliant young artist. Poems of Rossetti say that his right to an enduring place among
inspired several of these: Rose-Marie,, Circle- eminent English book-illustrators may be
wise sit they, Silent Noon, and Love's Baubles— founded upon his illustrations to Shakespeare
a picture instinct with gaiety and rhythmic (400 drawings for the " Chiswick Shakespeare "),
grace, in which the peculiar loveliness of a Browning's Poems, Boccaccio's " Decameron,"
Rossetti sonnet found joyous interpretation. Reade's " Cloister and the Hearth," " The
Of this period, too, one remembers Truth, The Pilgrim's Progress," and " King Cole's Book of
Queen of Hearts, The Queen of Spades, the Nursery Rhymes." Some of his allegorical car-
ambitious Love the Conqueror, and Whither ?— toons were of a masterly distinction, especially
an original allegory of love. those inspired by strong emotions of pity or
One can but rejoice that early in his indignation aroused by incidents of tragic human
career Byam Shaw addressed himself to pen- significance, as, for instance, the sinking of the
and-ink work, and realized that the special "Lusitania." when his graphic expression reached
qualities of his mind and art pointed to book- its climax of beauty in design. S. Colaian.
illustration as pre-emi-
nently his metier. It is as
a book - illustrator, the
writer ventures to think,
that he will be most
gratefully remembered.
His decorative instinct has
already been alluded to ;
in his book - illustration
design had always refer-
ence to the printed page
and its place in the book,
an artistic condition which
from the first stamped his
work with distinction.
Although he illustrated
certain books in colours,
" The Garden of Kama "
being perhaps the most
appealing, his colour was
generally too insistently
vivid for harmonious
charm, but with the con-
trasting values of black
and white he could com-
mand his design to impres-
sive and beautiful effect.
His range of subject was
extraordinarily wide, his
imaginative insight being
so far-reaching, his fancy
and humour so flexibly
responsive, his sympathies
so comprehending, while illustration to "king cole's book of nursery rhymes'
his accomplished draughts- by byam shaw, a.r.w.s.
manship, frankly academic, (By permission of Messrs. Macmillan & Co., Ltd.)
46