Walter Paget (illustrator)

Walter Stanley Paget (26 January 1862  29 January 1935)[note 1] was an English illustrator of the late 19th and early 20th century, who signed his work as "Wal Paget". Paget held a gold medal from the Royal Academy of Arts,[2] and was the youngest of three brothers, Henry M. Paget (eldest) and Sidney Paget (middle brother), all illustrators.

Walter Paget
Image of Walter Paget
Walter Paget
Born(1862-01-26)26 January 1862
Clerkenwell, London, England
Died29 January 1935(1935-01-29) (aged 73)
Fockbury, a small hamlet near Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England
NationalityEnglish
Other namesWal Paget
OccupationIllustrator
Years active1882  1933
Known forThe illustration of Henty's first ten juvenile novels
Notable work120 illustrations for Cassell's Fine Art edition of Robinson Crusoe

Early life

Portrait of Sherlock Holmes by Sidney Paget, said to be modelled on Walter Paget

Paget was the original choice of publisher George Newnes to illustrate Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories in The Strand Magazine, but through a misunderstanding the commission went to his brother, Sidney.[3] When Sidney came to draw Sherlock Holmes, he is said to have used Paget as his model.[4]

Paget served as a war correspondent for the Gordon Relief Expedition and provided interesting sketches of camp life which the Illustrated London News reproduced. He was at the British base of Suakim on the Red Sea and accompanied Sir Gerald Graham's army to Tamai in 1884.[5]

Walter Paget provided illustrations for numerous authors of the era, including the 1910 edition of Charles and Mary Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare,[6] and Doyle's 1913 Holmes short story, "The Adventure of the Dying Detective," in The Strand Magazine.[3] He illustrated adventure novels by G. A. Henty, F. S. Brereton and Herbert Strang, among others.[7] Paget was an occasional exhibitor.[note 2]

Authors illustrated by Paget

Among the author's whose work was illustrate by Wal Paget were the following (based on the list by Kirkpatrick).[9][1]:318

The fine art edition of Robinson Crusoe

In late 1890 Cassell's began advertising for a new fine-art edition of Robinson Crusoe illustrated by Paget. It was to be in 13 monthly parts, with a price of six pence each, with the first part available on 18 December 1890.[15] While the original advertisement does not give the number of the illustrations, later advertisements stated that the edition would have upwards of 100 illustrations by Paget.[16] Presumably Paget was still drawing the illustrations as the exact number was not stated.

The work was very well received by reviewers:

  • "Messrs. Cassell and Co. have just begun the issue in monthly parts of a new fine-art edition of Robinson Crusoe. . . . which has a new set illustrations by Mr. Walter Paget, reproduced by one of the photographic processes which give the artists’ own work in simile. The process work in the first number the new edition is of the very best. . ."  Norwich Mercury[17]
  • ". . . it would be impossible to speak too highly of the illustrations."  Buchan Observer and East Aberdeenshire Advertiser[18]
  • "The printing and the illustrations, all of which are new, far surpass any former edition."  Dover Express[19]
  • "The edition, which is being issued in sixpenny parts, is one which may heartily commended, for in it the best literature . . . and the best art are fitly wedded."  Peterhead Sentinel and General Advertiser for Buchan District[20]
  • "Messrs. Cassell and Co. are now publishing monthly parts a tine-art edition of "Robinson Crusoe." Upwards of one hundred beautiful illustrations, by Mr. Walter Paget, adorn the work. In all probability is the most artistic publication of Defoe's celebrated work that has ever issued from the British press."  Preston Herald[21]
  • "The great feature of the work, which will be completed in about 13 parts, is the excellence of the original drawings prepared by Mr. Walter Paget expressly to illustrate this new edition. Not only are the drawings admirable works of art, but they faithfully represent the dresses and other characteristics of Crusoe's time. . ."  Salisbury and Winchester Journal[22]
  • "Cassell's new issue of Robinson Crusoe will for when complete one of the best editions of DeFoe's celegrated story extant. It is beautifully illustrated by Walter Paget."  Monmouthshire Beacon[23]
  • "Messrs. Cassell's new fine art edition of "Robinson Cruse is nearing completion. Mr Walter Paget's drawings are often very beautiful."  Liverpool Mercury[24]
  • "Messrs Cassell's idea of issuing a fine-art edition of Robinson Crusoe in monthly numbers was a good one, and in its complete form it makes a very handsome volume. The outstanding feature of the work the large number of beautiful engravings, many of them full-page, with which Walter Pages has illustrated the letterpress. They are admirably drawn and are meritorious works of art."  Dundee Advertiser[25][note 4]

Just as the publication of the fine-art Robinson Crusoe in installments was coming to an end, Cassell's published it as a single volume book. This was equally well received.

  • "This is a really handsome book.  well printed, brightly bound, and undeniably very happy in its illustrations, which are of good quality as they are numerous. We do not remember to have seen Robinson Crusoe so well treated from a pictorial point of view. Mr. Paget has imagination, and he has style."  The Globe[26]
  • "The illustration are admirable, and altogether we have no doubt that this is the most handsome edition of Defoe's immortal story ever issued from the press."  Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News[27]
  • ". . . surely no boys ever had a more beautiful or enjoyable edition that the which has been issued by Messrs. Cassell, with illustration by Walter Paget, These are evidently the result of very careful study, but they have what no study only could give, the life and spirit that comes from quick dramatic sympathy. They are of fine-art quality, and are delicately and beautifully executed. Defoe's entrancing story has never appeared in so attractive a guise."  Birmingham Daily Post[28]
  • ". . . to Mr. Walter Paget, whose hundred and twenty drawings have been admirably done. Composition, character, draughtsmanship of both figures and landscape, and even petty details, leave nothing to be desired; the artist, whilst preserving the old traditions respecting Crusoe himself, has given historical accuracy of dress, race, and accessories. . ."  St James's Gazette[29]

Paget's Illustrations for Robinson Crusoe

The following illustrations are the fourteen full page illustrations. The book had 120 in total, and many of the others are half-page or larger. All show the same scrupulous care. The book is available on-line at The British Library.[30] The final illustration shown is a cover for the book in installments.[note 5]

Illustration by Walter Paget for fine-art Cassell edition (1891) of Robinson Crusoe – by courtesy of British Library

Later life

Paget did relatively little work after 1921, illustrating mostly children's books on life in different countries, and then illustrating less than over every two years on average. Paget moved to Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, England. However, it was not there but at Fockbury,[note 6] a small hamlet near Bromsgrove in Worcestershire that he died on 29 January 1935.[31]

Notes

  1. While many sources give Paget's year of birth as 1863, Kirkpatrick give his date of birth as 26 January 1862. The 1862 date is supported by registration of his birth in the first quarter of 1862, and his census returns.[1]:318
  2. Paget exhibited from 1880 as follows: five works at the Grosvenor Gallery, one work at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, two works at the Manchester City Art Gallery, three works at the New Gallery, five works at the Royal Academy, one work at the Royal Society of British Artists, and one work at the Royal Institute of Oil Painters.[8]
  3. The Census returns show that she lived with her children, apart from her husband.
  4. With thirteen monthly instalments, the last one should have been issued in December, but it is clear from this review that the last installment was issued in November 1891.
  5. This is not the original publication in installments, as it was prices at sixpence and not threepence as in this example, and the total number of illustrations was not known when the first installment was originally published.
  6. Fockbury is the birth place of poet and scholar A. E. Housman

References

  1. Kirkpatrick, Robert J. (2019). The Men Who Drew For Boys (And Girls): 101 Forgotten Illustrators of Children's Books: 1844–1970. London: Robert J. Kirkpatrick.
  2. "A Biographical Sketch of Illustrator Walter Paget (1863–1935)" by Philip V. Allingham, Victorian Web
  3. The Artur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia – Walter Paget
  4. Peppin, Bridget; Micklethwait, Lucy (6 June 1905). Dictionary of British Book Illustrators: The Twentieth Centrury. London: John Murray. p. 223. ISBN 0-7195-3985-4. Retrieved 19 June 2020 via The Internet Archive.
  5. Hodgson, Pat (1977). The War Illustrators. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. p. 134. Retrieved 14 September 2020 via The Internet Archive.
  6. Tales from Shakespeare at University of Florida Digital Collections
  7. Books illustrated by Walter Paget, Project Gutenberg
  8. Johnson, J.; Greutzner, A. (8 June 1905). The Dictionary of British Artists 1880-1940. Woodbridge: Antique Collectors' Club. p. 387.
  9. Kirkpatrick, Robert J. (2 August 2018). "Wal Paget". Bear Alley. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  10. "Joseph Bowes". AustLit. 3 August 2006. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  11. "Search Results for Author: Cooke, Arthur O. (Arthur Owens)". Library Hub Discover. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  12. Kemp, Sandra; Mitchell, Charlotte; Trotter, David (1997). "Moore, Dorothea (Mary) (1881–1933)". Edwardian Fiction: An Oxford Companion. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 283.
  13. "L Weedon". Abe Books. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  14. Sutherland, John (1989). "Yonge, Charlotte Mary (1823–1901)". The Stanford Companion to Victorian Fiction. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. pp. 685.
  15. "Cassell and Company's Announcements". West London Observer (Saturday 29 November 1890): 5. 2 November 1890.
  16. "Advertisement for Cassell's". Diss Express (Friday 19 December 1890): 8. 1 December 1890.
  17. "Literary Jottings". Norwich Mercury (Wednesday 31 December 1890): 2. 3 December 1890.
  18. "Books and Magazines". Buchan Observer and East Aberdeenshire Advertiser (Thursday 1 January 1891): 6. 1 January 1891.
  19. "Reviews". Dover Express (Friday 9 January 1891): 8. 9 January 1891.
  20. "Cassell's Publications". Peterhead Sentinel and General Advertiser for Buchan District (Tuesday 13 January 1891): 3. 1 January 1891.
  21. "Reviews". Preston Herald (Saturday 17 January 1891): 9. 1 January 1891.
  22. "Reviews". Salisbury and Winchester Journal (Saturday 31 January 1891): 2. 3 January 1891.
  23. "Literary Notices". Monmouthshire Beacon (Saturday 5 September 1891): 6. 5 September 1891.
  24. "Literary Notes". Liverpool Mercury (Wednesday 16 September 1891): 7. 1 September 1891.
  25. "New Books and New Editions: MacMillan and Co., London". Dundee Advertiser (Thursday 26 November 1891): 2. 2 November 1891.
  26. "The Library Table". Globe (Monday 23 November 1891): 6. 2 November 1891.
  27. "Reviews". Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News (Saturday 28 November 1891): 11. 2 November 1891.
  28. "Gift Books for Young People". Birmingham Daily Post (Wednesday 23 December 1891): 7. 2 December 1891.
  29. "New Books and New Editions". St James's Gazette (Thursday 17 December 1891): 5. 1 December 1891.
  30. Defoe, Daniel (1895). The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. London: Cassell & Co. Ltd. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  31. "Wills and Probates 1858–1996: Pages for Paget and Year of Death 1935". Find a Will Service.
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