Illustrators Special #7: Pirates (magazine review).

Interestingly, rather than focusing on artists who painted or illustrated pirate stories, David Ashford does a history trip through the entire genre as first developed in the UK. Much of the mythology is based on the artistic endeavours of Howard Pyle that brought pirates to life. Seeing how the many other illustrators and painters do their own pirates, the clothes influence is apparent on both sides of the Atlantic.

Obviously, the appeal from Blackbeard and Robert Louis Stephenson’s ‘Treasure Island’ is also covered in some detail although it did leave me to ponder on what attracted kids to their deeds so much. Although I read Stephenson when young and certainly some of the 1950s films currently being reshown I guess the appeal of SF was far stronger.

Diego Cordoba has a more thorough look at Howard Pyle (1853-1911) and the various techniques he employed while magazines improved their techniques in reproduction for his work. In his later years, he also taught art and many of his students becoming equally famous. I suspect you’ll have a wander through the names listed for any you might have missed or never come across before. I hope they investigate Maxfield Parrish, especially as Pyle took one look at his work and declared he should turn professional immediately, so looked up his work up and jaw dropped, purely from his use of colour.

He also has a look at the work of Norman Mills Price (1877-1951) and whose work extends beyond pirates and an interesting selection of art, including a delightful faun.

There are mini-biographies of all the artists involved: 19 British, 14 American and 6 from other countries. With 29 artists, there has to be someone you’d love to see if they drew or painted pirates in their career and a few surprises. Don’t walk the plank.

GF Willmetts

(pub: The Book Palace, 2020. 130 page illustrated squarebound magazine. Price: £25.00 (UK), $ (US) via Bud Plant. ISBN: 978-1-907081-85-9. ISSN: 2052-6520)

check out website: www.bookpalace.com and www.illustratorsquarterly.com