Tag Archives: book illustration

La Guerre des Mondes

Posted on May 16, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

During the past week, I stumbled on three different references to H. G. Wells’ iconic science fiction novel  The War of the Worlds, including a new French-British television  series (which was mediocre at best). The early sci-fi classic was originally … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Europe, Writing | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

An Unknown Hobbit

Posted on April 24, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Slovak illustrator Peter Klúcik was commissioned to illustrate a new version of J R R Tolkien’s The Hobbit in 1988. For the project he created 40 illustrations that were rich in detail and quite different from previous works for Tolkien … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Europe, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Conquest of Mars

Posted on March 17, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Here is copy number 55 of the first edition of Edison’s Conquest of Mars by Garrett P. Serviss. There were only 1,500 copies in the first edition, and only 1,450 of those were offered for general distribution. Serviss, an astronomer, wrote Conquest in 1898; … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, History, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Alice Redux

Posted on November 26, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Lewis Carroll – illustration by Sir John Tenniel London Macmillan and Co., Limited 1927

Posted in Art, Books, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Time for Caturday

Posted on November 23, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Leon Underwood (1890-1975), The Siamese Cat (New York: Brentanos, 1928). Woodcut illustrations by the author. Underwood was a British born sculptor, engraver, painter and author who moved to New York City in the 1920s.  

Posted in Art, Books | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Go Ask Alice

Posted on October 19, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Those of you who visit TBTP on a regular basis know of my life-long affection for Lewis Carroll’s classic book. I have had many different editions since I was  a child, but I have long found Ralph Steadman’s drawings for … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Europe, Writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Classically Alice

Posted on October 18, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

This is one of the first non-Tenniel illustrated Alices issued when British copyright expired in 1907. Pictured in a white pinafore decorated with pale pink roses and grey tights, Rackham’s Alice appears both thinner and taller than Tenniel’s heroine. Muted colors, … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Europe, Writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Another Metamorphosis

Posted on September 19, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

I am embarrassed to admit that I had never heard of Argentine artist and book illustrator Luis Scafati until recently. His take on Franz Kafka’s classic The Metamorphosis is creepy, but spot on. I have since discovered that Scafati has illustrated many … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, South America, Writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Tilting At Windmills

Posted on March 14, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Don Quixote of the Mancha re-told by Judge Parry Illustrated by Walter Crane London Blackie & Son Limited 1900 First Edition thus  

Posted in Art, Books, Europe | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

There be monsters

Posted on October 22, 2018 by Brian D. Butler

Just in time for Halloween, the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library in Toronto has opened De Monstris, an exhibition exploring the long cultural tradition of frightening monsters that inflamed imaginations and triggered irrational fears throughout history. De Monstris examines scary illustrations and writings from … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Canada, Europe, History, Libraries, Writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment