British Book Illustration Collection

I Make Myself Known to My Aunt. Etching from David Copperfield, c1840-1880, (1923). Artist: Hablot Knight Browne
I Make Myself Known to My Aunt. Etching from David Copperfield, 1840-1880, (1923). David Copperfield is the eighth novel by Charles Dickens

Let Me Think of the Comfortable Family Dinners. 1862, (1923). Artist: Charles Edmund Brock
Let Me Think of the Comfortable Family Dinners. 1862, (1923). Dreamthorp: a Book of Essays Written in the Country, had a running theme in an understanding that human finiteness contributes to our

Tessa at Home. From George Eliots Romola, 1862-63, (1923). Artist: Frederic Leighton
Tessa at Home. From George Eliots Romola, 1862-63, (1923). Romola (1862-63) is a historical novel by George Eliot set in the fifteenth century

Parable of the Unmerciful Servant. c1850-1890, (1923). Artist: John Everett Millais
Parable of the Unmerciful Servant. c1850-1890, (1923). A parable of Jesus which appears in the Gospel of Matthew (18:21-35) illustrating it is important to forgive others as we are forgiven by God

Rosamond, Queen of the Lombards. c1850-1900, (1923). Artist: Frederick Augustus Sandys
Rosamond, Queen of the Lombards. c1850-1900, (1923). Rosamund ( fl. 572) was a Lombard queen. She was the daughter of Cunimund, king of the Gepids, and wife of Alboin, king of the Lombards

Amor Mundi. From Christine Rossettis Poem. c1850-1900, (1923). Artist: Frederick Augustus Sandys
Amor Mundi. From Christine Rossettis Poem. c1850-1900, (1923). The tone of the poem in general describes in loss of hope and misery

Illustration from History of the Plague (Defoe), 1862, (1923). Artist: Frederic Shields
Illustration from History of the Plague (Defoe), 1862, (1923). Frederic James Shields (1833-1911) was a British artist, illustrator and designer closely associated with the Pre-Raphaelites

Riquet with the Tuft. From Charles Perraults Fairy Tales. Water-Colour Drawing, 1923. Artist: Harry Clarke
Riquet with the Tuft. From Charles Perraults Fairy Tales. Water-Colour Drawing, 1923. From British Book Illustration - Yesterday and To-day edited by Geoffrey Holme. [The Studio, Ltd. London, 1923]

The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar. 1923. The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar is a short story by American author Edgar Allan Poe about a mesmerist who puts a man in a suspended hypnotic state at

Illustration to Wordsworths Poem To The Daisy, No. 2, 1923. Artist: Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale
Illustration to Wordsworths Poem To The Daisy, No. 2, 1923. William Wordsworth (7 April 1770 - 23 April 1850) was a major English Romantic poet

Lois and Her Nurse. From A Book of Quaker Saints. (L. V. Hodgkin. ), 1923. Artist: Frederick Cayley Robinson
Lois and Her Nurse. From A Book of Quaker Saints. (L. V. Hodgkin.), 1923. IA Book of Quaker Saints, was written for the instruction of Quaker children

Whispering Trees, From A Dish of Apples, 1917, (1923). Artist: Arthur Rackham
Whispering Trees, From A Dish of Apples 1917, (1923). A collection of poems written by Eden Phillpotts (1862-1960) is written on a theme of nature and harvest

To Make My Small Elves Coats, 1908, (1923). Artist: Arthur Rackham
To Make My Small Elves Coats, 1908, (1923). From A Midsummer Nights Dream. Act II, Scene 2 (Shakespeare). From British Book Illustration - Yesterday and To-day edited by Geoffrey Holme

Little Brother and Little Sister, 1917, (1923). Artist: Arthur Rackham
Little Brother and Little Sister, 1917, (1923). Tired of the cruel mistreatment they endure from their wicked stepmother, who is also a witch, a brother and sister run away from home

Don Quixote. Pen Sketch from Line: An Art Study, 1923. Artist: Edmund Joseph Sullivan
Don Quixote. Pen Sketch from Line: An Art Study, 1923. A Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. Published in two volumes, in 1605 and 1615

The Legend of St. Cuthbert, Pen Drawing, 1891-1920, (1923). Artist: Robert Spencer
The Legend of St. Cuthbert, Pen Drawing, 1891-1920, (1923). Cuthbert, monk, hermit and Bishop of Lindisfarne, died on 20 March 687

Christian Fighting Apollyon, 1895, (1923). Artist: William Strang
Christian Fighting Apollyon, 1895, (1923). From: The pilgrims progress, in the centre, Christian is falling back under the weight of Apollyon, a winged demon

The Poems of Ronsard. Original Woodcut, 1902, (1923). Artist: Lucien Pissarro
The Poems of Ronsard. Original Woodcut, 1902, (1923). Pierre de Ronsard (1524-1585) was a French poet or, as his own generation in France called him, a prince of poets

Illustration from Morte D Arthur, 1893-1894, (1923). Artist: Aubrey Beardsley
Illustration from Morte D Arthur, 1893-1894, (1923). Le Morte d Arthur is a reworking of traditional tales by Sir Thomas Malory about the legendary King Arthur

Well, My Kate, I See You Have Changed Your Dress As I Bade You. 1912, (1923). Artist: Hugh Thomson
Well, My Kate, I See You Have Changed Your Dress As I Bade You. 1912, (1923). She Stoops to Conquer is a comedy by Anglo-Irish author Oliver Goldsmith that was first performed in London in 1773

The Letter. Unpublished Pen Drawing, 1890, 1923. Artist: Edwin Austin Abbey
The Letter. Unpublished Pen Drawing, 1890, 1923. Edwin Austin Abbey RA (1852-1911) was an American muralist, illustrator, and painter

The Crew Was Complete. From The Hunting of the Snark (Lewis Carroll), 1874-1876, (1923). Artist: Henry Holiday
The Crew Was Complete. From The Hunting of the Snark (Lewis Carroll), 1874-1876, (1923). The Hunting of the Snark (An Agony in 8 Fits) is a poem written by Lewis Carroll

Water-Colour Drawing for Colour Wood-Block Print, 1880-1890, (1923). Artist: Catherine Greenaway
Water-Colour Drawing for Colour Wood-Block Print, 1880-1890, (1923). Catherine Kate Greenaway (1846-1901) was an English childrens book illustrator and writer

Juvenile Party, From Punch, 1864, (1923). Artist: John Leech
Juvenile Party, From Punch, 1864, (1923). A work devoted to the serious glorification of juvenile aristocracy. From British Book Illustration - Yesterday and To-day edited by Geoffrey Holme

Boxing Night. Pen Drawing on Wood, c1890, (1923). Artist: Luke Fildes
Boxing Night. Pen Drawing on Wood, 1923. Sir Samuel Luke Fildes (1843-1927) was an English painter and illustrator born in Liverpool and trained at the South Kensington and Royal Academy schools

The Shepheards Calendar - March, 1898, (1923). Artist: Walter Crane
The Shepheards Calendar - March, 1898, (1923).. Cranes cover design for Spensers Shepheards Calender is bold in its blatantly illustrative style

Queen Catherine: Lord Cardinal, -To You I Speak c1890, (1923) Artist: Sir John Gilbert
Queen Catherine: Lord Cardinal, -To You I Speak. c1890, (1923). From King Henry The Eighth, Act II, Scene 4. From British Book Illustration - Yesterday and To-day edited by Geoffrey Holme

Vanity Fair. From The Pilgrims Progress (Bunyan), c1861, (1923). Artist: Frederic Shields
Vanity Fair. From The Pilgrims Progress (Bunyan), 1861, (1923). A 1678 Christian allegory written by John Bunyan. It is regarded as one of the most significant works of religious English literature

The Trial Sermon, c1862, (1923). Artist: James Abbott McNeill Whistler
The Trial Sermon, 1862, (1923). James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) was an American artist, active during the American Gilded Age and based primarily in the United Kingdom

Vanity Fair. From The Pilgrims Progress (John Bunyan), c1850-1890, (1923). Artist: John Dawson Watson
Vanity Fair. From The Pilgrims Progress (John Bunyan), c1850-1890, (1923). A 1678 Christian allegory written by John Bunyan

Angelica Kaufman in Joshua Reynoldss Studio, c18560-1923, (1923). Artist: Helen Paterson Allingham
Angelica Kaufman in Joshua Reynoldss Studio, c18560-1923, (1923). She Had Wandered Off Into This Day-Dream, and Almost Forgotten Mr

The Passion Flowers of Life. c1860-1890, (1923). Artist: John Pettie
The Passion Flowers of Life. c1860-1890, (1923). John Pettie RA (1839-1893) was a Scottish painter who spent most of his career in England

The Escaped Convict. From Great Expectations (Dickens), c1830-1870, (1923). Artist: James Mahoney
The Escaped Convict. From Great Expectations (Dickens), c1830-1870, (1923). Great Expectations is the thirteenth novel by Charles Dickens

Joy. Frontispiece to Golden Thoughts from Golden Fountains, 1867, (1923). Artist: Dalziel Brothers
Joy. Frontispiece to Golden Thoughts from Golden Fountains, 1867, (1923). Fifty-two wood engravings by the Dalziel brothers; after Arthur Boyd Houghton

Illustration from poem A Becketts Troth. c1860-1875, (1923). Artist: George John Pinwell
Illustration from poem A Becketts Troth. c1860-1875, (1923). Gilbert a Becket. Romantic story of a 12th-century crusader, Gilbert O Becket, who is rescued by a Saracen woman

Elijah and the Widows Son, c1840-1890, (1923). Artist: Ford Madox Brown
Elijah and the Widows Son, c1840-1890, (1923).From the Book of Kings; God told Elijah to go to the town of Sarepta and to seek out a widow that would find him water and food (vv.7-9)

Illustration from Sister Annes Probation, c1850-1890, (1923). Artist: John Everett Millais
Illustration from Sister Annes Probation, c1850-1890, (1923). Harriet Martineau (1802-1876) was a British social theorist and Whig writer, often cited as the first female sociologist

The Translator Presenting His Book to the Duke of Norfolk. c1500-1520, (1923). Artist: Richard Pynson
The Translator Presenting His Book to the Duke of Norfolk. c1500-1520, 1923. Alexander Barclays Version of Sallusts Jugurtha

Illustrations to The Vicar of Wakefield (Goldsmith). c1800-1860, (1923). Artist: William Mulready
Illustrations to The Vicar of Wakefield (Goldsmith). c1800-1860, (1923). The Vicar of Wakefield subtitled A Tale, Supposed to be written by Himself is a novel by Irish writer Oliver Goldsmith

The Concert. From Matthew Brambles Trip to Bath. c1780-1820, (1923). Artist: Thomas Rowlandson
The Concert. From Matthew Brambles Trip to Bath. c1780-1820, (1923). Thomas Rowlandson (1756-1827), watercolour, pen & ink and pencil on paper laid on mount

The Lord Answering Job Out of the Whirlwind. From Job. c1780-1820, (1923). Artist: William Blake
The Lord Answering Job Out of the Whirlwind. From Job. c1780-1820, (1923). Job is the central figure of the Book of Job in the Bible

The Dystruccion of Jherusalem, by Vaspazian and Tytus, c16th century, (1923). Artist: Wynkyn de Worde
The Dystruccion of Jherusalem, by Vaspazian and Tytus, c16th century, (1923). The Siege of Jerusalem in the year AD70 was the decisive event of the First Jewish-Roman War

Let Me Think of the Comfortable Family Dinners. 1862, (1923). Artist: Charles Edmund Brock
Let Me Think of the Comfortable Family Dinners. 1862, (1923). Dreamthorp: a Book of Essays Written in the Country, had a running theme in an understanding that human finiteness contributes to our

From Christmas. Alexander Smiths Essays Dreamthorp, 1862, (1923). Artist: Charles Edmund Brock
From Christmas. Alexander Smiths Essays Dreamthorp, 1862, (1923). Charles Edmund Brock (1870-1938) was a widely published English painter, line artist and book illustrator

But This Course Did Not Please His Subjects. 1899, (1923). Artist: Byam Shaw
But This Course Did Not Please His Subjects. 1899, (1923). (Griselda) From Tales from Boccaccio (Joseph Jacobs). A woman whose husband tests her loyalty by convincing her that he killed their

Viola: Yet A Barful Strife! Whoe er I Woo, Myself Would Be His Wife. 1923. Artist: W Heath Robinson
Viola: Yet A Barful Strife! Whoe er I Woo, Myself Would Be His Wife. 1923. From Twelfth Night, Act 1, Scene 4 (Shakespeare). A ship is wrecked on the rocks

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British book illustration has a rich history filled with captivating artwork that brings literary masterpieces to life. From the etching of "I Make Myself Known to My Aunt" in David Copperfield by Hablot Knight Browne, to Charles Edmund Brock's depiction of "Let Me Think of the Comfortable Family Dinners, " these illustrations transport readers into the world of Dickensian England. Frederic Leighton's portrayal of "Tessa at Home" from George Eliot's Romola captures the essence of domestic bliss, while Frederick Augustus Sandys' enchanting artwork in "Rosamond, Queen of the Lombards" and "Amor Mundi" evoke a sense of mystery and allure. In Frederic Shields' illustration for History of the Plague (Defoe), viewers are transported back to a time plagued by disease, while Harry Clarke's watercolor drawing for Riquet with the Tuft adds whimsy and magic to Charles Perrault's Fairy Tales. Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale beautifully illustrates Wordsworth's Poem To The Daisy, No. 2, capturing nature’s delicate beauty. Meanwhile, Frederick Cayley Robinson portrays Lois and Her Nurse from A Book of Quaker Saints with tender affection. Arthur Rackham enchants us with his ethereal creations in Whispering Trees from A Dish of Apples and To Make My Small Elves Coats. His intricate details bring fantasy worlds alive on paper. These British book illustrations not only enhance our reading experience but also serve as visual interpretations that deepen our understanding and connection to literature. They remind us why books hold such power – they ignite our imagination and transport us beyond words on a page.