E Gordon Browne Popular Books

E Gordon Browne Biography & Facts

Gordon Frederick Browne (15 April 1858 – 27 May 1932) was an English artist and a prolific illustrator of children's books in the late 19th century and early 20th century. He was a meticulous craftsman and went to a great deal of effort to ensure that his illustrations were accurate. He illustrated six or seven books a year in addition to a huge volume of magazine illustration. Early life He was born in Banstead, the younger son of notable book illustrator Hablot Knight Browne (who as "Phiz" illustrated books by Charles Dickens). He was privately educated and then studied art at the Heatherley School of Fine Art and South Kensington Schools. At Art School he insisted only drawing from life. Work Browne worked in watercolour and pen and ink. He was a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours (RI) and a founder member of the Royal Society of British Artists (RBA). Browne was an early member of the Society of Graphic Art and showed three works at their first exhibition in 1921. Some sources say that Browne began accepting commissions when still a student as money was in short supply at home as his father had been unwell in 1867 and was partly incapacitated by illness. However, Kirkpatrick considers this unlikely as Browne was only 9 years of age in 1867, and that his earlies known illustrations only appeared in 1875. Brown's first book illustrations was for The Day After the Holidays (1875), A school story by Ascott R Hope. This inaugurated numerous commissions for books and for contributions to periodicals. Among these was work for Aunt Judy's Magazine He then drew several Christmas cards and took a course in drawing on wood. James Cooper, his tutor, introduced him to Blackie's, the London publishers, for whom he began to illustrate juvenile books. The first book he illustrated for Blackie was Facing Death: The Hero of the Vaughan Pit (1882) by G. A. Henty. From the 1880s, Browne was one of Britain's most prolific illustrators. Houfe says that "Browne illustrated a truly amazing quantity of boy's stories, tales and novels". His total volume of work was enormous. Kirkpatrick gives the estimate that Browne produce c. 3,660 images in his work. Browne also wrote himself. He exhibited his work extensively with over 200 works exhibited during his life (a few of these may have been repeated at different venues). Book illustration Browne illustrated six or seven books a year. His historical research for his illustrations was painstaking. He assembled a collection of armour, helmets, pistols, daggers, swords, uniforms, and even saddles. When working, he would refer to these constantly to ensure his depictions of historic dress and arms were accurate. Browne took great care that he understood the text he was illustrating. He would read the text first, and then read it again to identify the details of the scene to be illustrated. Such was Browne's renown for his careful research that George Bernard Shaw, in a review of Stories of Old Renown by Ascot R. Hope said: Mr. Hope describes Guy of Warwick as unhorsed, and fighting the dragon with his sword after he has been thrown and has lost his spear. Mr. Gordon Browne's illustration shows Guy on horseback fighting with his sword. Which is right? Example of book illustration Browne illustrated fourteen of G. A. Henty's novels, including the first seven published by Blackie and Son. One of these was "Facing Death: The Hero of the Vaughan Pit: A Tale of the Coal Mines." This was first published by Blackie in 1882 with six drawings by Gordon Browne. A second version of the first edition was published in the same year, but this time with eight illustrations as shown here. Authors illustrated by Browne The range of authors whose books were illustrated by Brown is extensive and the list, drawn from a range of sources includes: Grant Allen (1848–1899), a Canadian science writer and novelist. Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875), a prolific Danish author best remembered for his fairy tales. Sir Edwin Arnold (1832–1904), an English poet and journalist, who is most known for his work The Light of Asia. Helen Atteridge (1856–1931), author of children's fiction. R. M. Ballantyne (1825–1894), a prolific Scottish author of juvenile fiction and an accomplished water-colourist. Alice Banks, who wrote books for young children. R. D. Blackmore (1825–1900), an English novelist now best remembered for Lorna Doone. Catherine Christian (1901–1895), an English novelist, known for her children's books and re-telling of Arthurian legends. Harry Collingwood (1843–1922), a writer of boys' adventure fiction, usually in a nautical setting. Alice Corkran (1843–1916), an Irish author of children's fiction and an editor of children's magazines and annuals. E. E. Cowper (1859–1933), Edith Eliza Cowper, a prolific English author of juvenile fiction, much of which was published by the SPCK, who had eight children by Frank Cowper, yachtsman and author, from whom she separated shortly after the last of her children was born. Samuel Rutherford Crockett (1859–1914), a prolific Scottish novelist, who wrote more than 60 books. F. J. Harvey Darton (1878–1936), an author, publisher, and historian of children's literature. Countess d'Aulnoy (c. 1650 – 1705), a French writer best known for her fairy tales. Daniel Defoe (c. 1659 – 1731), who wrote Robinson Crusoe and A Journal of the Plague Year among other works. Miguel de Cervantes (c. 1547 – 1616), a Spanish writer best known for Don Quixote. Evelyn Everett-Green (1856–1932), who moved from pious stores for children, through historical romances, to adult romances under a range of pseudonyms. Juliana Horatia Ewing (1841–1885), an English writer of children's stories, which show both an insight into childhood and a strong religious faith. B. L. Farjeon (1838–1903), a prolific English novelist, playwright, printer and journalist. Frederick Farrar (1831–1903), an Anglican cleric, schoolteacher, and author of essays and of boys' school stories. George Manville Fenn (1831–1909), a prolific author of fiction for young adults. Amy Le Feuvre (1861–1929), a prolific author of books for children with a Christian message. Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué (1777–1843), a German writer of the Romantic style. Jean Froissart (c . 1337 – c. 1405), a French-speaking medieval author and court historian whose work embodied the chivalric revival. Thomas Guthrie (1803–1873), a Scottish religious preacher and philanthropist. George Halse (1826–1895), an English sculptor, novelist, and poet. Herbert Hayens (1861–1944), who wrote juvenile fiction and school-books G. A. Henty (1832–1902), a prolific writer of boy's adventure fiction, often set in a historical context, who had himself served in the military and been a war correspondent. Silas Hocking (1850–1935), a prolific Cornish novelist and a Methodist preacher. Ed.... Discover the E Gordon Browne popular books. Find the top 100 most popular E Gordon Browne books.