Modern Illustration

by Joseph Pennell

Originally published in 1895, this is a masterly survey of late nineteenth century book and magazine illustration from the influential Joseph Pennell. Individual chapters discuss techniques of reproduction, French illustration, English illustration, American illustration, and much more. The book is heavily illustrated with examples of the work of all the great 19th century British, American and continental illustrators such as Caldecott, Crane, de Minvel, Foster, Cruikshank, Greenaway, Whistler, Burnes-Jones, and many others. Joseph Pennell was born in 1857 and died in 1926. He began his work as an illustrator by selling drawings of south Philadelphia to Scribner's Monthly in 1881. In addition to his extensive sketches of American cities, he went to the Panama Canal and sketched a number of construction sites. He taught etching at the Arts Students' league in New York, wrote several books, served as an art critic on the Brooklyn Eagle, and helped run the New Society of Sculptors, Painters & Engravers. Pennell is considered to have done more than any other one artist of his time to improve the quality of illustration both in the United States and abroad and to raise its status as an art. He produced more than 900 etched and mezzotint plates, some 621 lithographs, and innumerable drawings and water colors.

308 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2004

About the author

Joseph Pennell (1857-1926) was an American artist and author. Pennell was born in Philadelphia, and first studied there, but like his friend James McNeill Whistler he then made his home in London, and taught at Slade School of Art.

He won a gold medal at the Exposition Universelle (1900), and 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition. He taught also at the Art Students League of New York. He was married to Elizabeth Robins Pennell.