Monthly Archives: November 2009

A Brief History of Illustration (Part II)

In the first part, we review the first years of the history of Illustration, since the Lascaux’s Bulls to the year 1900.
For this part, we are going to travel to the first forty years of the 20th century.
Let’s see what was happening in the world:
1.- In England, books were very expensive, then, the target market of the books was the adults. However, there was a huge market for the books for children (with wealthy parents).
A strong influence of Aubrey Beardsley (see part I).
England was the center for the Book production.
2.- In America, we have the influence of Howard Pyle, called the Father of the American Illustration.
America was the center for Magazines production.
3.- Illustrators became specialists in some sort of illustration.
4.- The rising of the poster as a medium for the Advertising.
5.- The Great Depression of the 30’s.
6.- The year 1907 was the year of the creation of the Screen Printing, but it was used extensively the 20’s decade.
7.- Influence of the First World War.
8.- Artistic influences: Art Noveau, Japanese art, Art Decó, Fauvism, Cubism, Futurism, Dadaists, De Stijl (Neo-Plasticism), Surrealism and Harlem Renaissance ( in America).
We are gonna begin a trip since the father of the American Illustration, Howard Pyle, and then with the beautiful illustrations for children of Beatrix Potter and Jean de Brunhoff, passing by the Christy Girls of Howard Chandler Christy, the new patriotism of James Montgomery Flagg and we are gonna finish with Ernest Shepard, the author of the famous Winnie the Pooh, and with the amazing and mathematical artwork by Maurits Escher.