Last July, I told you about a hardback bound volume of Harper’s New Monthly Magazine from the 1890’s that I’d found in an old antique mall and which contained the most face-melting pen & ink illustration I’d ever seen. Check that out here. I’m still obsessing, of course, and that’s why I’m here again with another round of highlighted drawings from the golden age of illustration.

I thought I’d go back a bit, possibly to collect a good thirty year expanse, and showcase some of the more inspiring artwork and exquisite pen & ink craftsmanship. I’ve gotten my hands on Volume 80, covering Dec 1889 to May 1890. Welcome back, and I hope you enjoy perusing these master works as much as I did discovering them. Flipping these pages is an exploration I can’t get enough of!

Shall we head inside?

Here are two by Edwin Austin Abbey, best known for his Shakespearean and Victorian images, illustrating scenes from The Merry Wives of Windsor. Hands and fabric folds drive me crazy, and Abbey makes it look effortless.

Here are two by Alfred Parsons, who was an illustrator, landscape painter, and garden designer. I found a citation suggesting that the author of the article (Thomas Hardy) took Parsons to the location so he could depict it accurately. You’ll find engraver signatures in the lower right-hand corner of some of these, as in the majestic estate scene on the right, but the original artwork was Parsons all the way.

This masterpiece was by Charles Dater Weldon, and it’s the first I’ve come across anything by him (that I remember). He seems to have struggled for the kind of attention some of his peers found at Harper’s, but this drawing is a master class in leaving white space for effect. Zoom in and check out how he depicted the snow!

And now we come to Howard Pyle, and he was a genius. A groundbreaking genius. Not only are his drawings tiny little masterpieces all their own, but he cultivated the entire experience on the page. He would sometimes write, illustrate, and design the layout all in an integrated fashion to drive the effect he wanted. Pay special attention to how he forms the text around the drawings. The pirate drop-cap is especially fascinating – apparently these are called ‘historiated initials’.

These next four were by Richard Caton Woodville, an artist renowned for his depictions of battle and military scenes. That last one is especially impressive for its perspective and scope, the strategic hatching and shading to draw your attention to the central figure, and – I don’t know why – but for the shadows and texture on the map lying on the ground. I really love it!

These two were by Hughson Hawley, who started his career as a scenery painter for Christmas pantomimes at Covent Garden in London. He was known for his architectural renderings. The illustrations accompanied an article about Wall Street, and their vertical orientation with exposed sky and building details make them really shine!

This is the only one I’m showing from Harry Whitney McVickar, an artist, illustrator, and real estate investor. He was also one of the founders of Vogue Magazine. This piece was just a flourish embellishing an article, but it stood out to me for its wonderful hatching and detail.

These next four are by Joseph Pennell, who was known for his on-location immediacy over polished artwork. Imagine him hurriedly dashing these off in open air at the scene he’s illustrating! The water reflections alone make these worth studying, but the hatching on the sails is equally impressive.

C. S. Reinhart was known for his character depictions, and that’s usually where Harper’s hired him. Here’s an especially well-done illustration of an artist in contemplation. Notice how he’s creating folds, shadows, and texture with his hatchwork. That’s super difficult!

Our last highlight is a stunning splash page by Luc-Olivier Merson, who became known for his postage stamp and currency illustrations. It’s one of the most astounding introductory pages for an article in the entire volume. The border and roof design are both gorgeous, and the florals jump off the page!

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Anyway, I was worried when I ordered this volume off eBay that it wouldn’t recreate the experience of that first volume, stumbling in awe across forgotten masterpieces on every other page. But I wasn’t disappointed. It’s a shame so many of these craftsmen are forgotten today.

I hope you found something to impress and inspire. As always at Grailrunner, that’s why we’re here.

Till next time,