Robert Brook

Despite a great deal of digging, almost nothing is known about artist Robert Brook. He appears to have begun working for the educational weekly Look and Learn in around 1965 and produced both colour and black & white illustrations for the magazine. His work could be highly detailed, as shown in the illustration above which he produced for the cover of issue 297 (23 September 1967), depicting a scene from Margaret Landon's novel Anna and the King, which was later turned into the musical The King and I (filmed in 1956, starring Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner).

This was one of a series of covers Brook produced featuring famous couples, others including Hiawatha & Minnehaha, Robespierre & Eleanor Duplay, Andrian Nikolayev & Valentina Tereshkova (two Russian cosmonauts) and Heathcliff & Cathy. Other cover series drawn by Brook included "Animal Heroes" and "Famous Partnerships".

Inside Look and Learn, he illustrated the serial "The Red Bonnet" by Henry Garnett with some delightful black & white illustrations and a feature on "The Literary Lambs"—Charles and Mary. He often worked in colour, illustrating historical features such as "The Tyrant of Mysore", about the Duke of Wellington's defeat of the Sultan of Mysore in 1799, and a long-running feature on "Dancing Around the World", which ran for 20 episodes in 1968.

Brook disappeared from the pages of Look and Learn to destinations unknown. Thankfully, some of his artwork has survived the years and is available for purchase at the Illustration Art Gallery.

Richard Henry Brock

Richard Henry Brock was the second son of Edmund Brock, the younger brother of Charles Edmund Brock and older brother of Henry Matthew Brock. The Brock brothers were each incredibly talented illustrators, but Richard is perhaps the least known of the three. Indeed, when the Brock family came to be written up by the Dictionary of National Biography, neither the date of Richard's birth nor death were known.

Richard was, in fact, born in Colney Hatch, London, in 1871, moving with his family to Cambridge a few years later where his father was a reader with the Cambridge University Press. All three Brocks -- as well as another brother, Thomas Alfred (who later went on to be a mathematician), and two sisters, Katherine Allison and Bertha Matilda, lived with their parents at St. Andrew the Less for many years.

Richard shared a studio with Charles and Harry Brock in Cambridge but did not share their interest in architecture, furniture and fashion. Where they gained reputations as book illustrators, Richard concentrated on painting, earning a modest income from local landscapes, mostly in oils. He did turn his hand of illustrating magazines for children such as The Prize and Chatterbox, although he lacked the skill and vigour of his brother Harry's illustrations.

In later years he illustrated a number of books, mostly for girls, including Tracked on the Trail by Nancy M. Haynes (1926), Another Pair of Shoes by Jessie Leckie Herbertson (1929) and The Windmill Guides by Violet M. Methley (1931). A couple of rare excursions into standard novels were illustrated editions of Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe (n.d.) and The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan (1924).

Richard Henry Brock died in Brentford, London, in 1943, aged 71.

The above illustration is offered for sale by the Illustration Art Gallery.

Charles Edmund Brock

Charles Edmund Brock was a member of a distinguished family of artists. He was the eldest son of Edmund Brock, a scholar of medieval and oriental languages and a reader at the Cambridge University Press. Edmund, born in 1840 in Shepreth, Cambridgeshire, was also the son of a painter, Jeremiah Brock. Moving to London, Edmund worked as a bookmaker in his early career. He married Mary Ann Louise Pegram in 1867 and the first of seven children, Alice Emma, was born the following year.

Charles Edmund followed on 5 February 1870, born in Upper Holloway. He grew up in London and St Andrew the Less, Cambridge, where his family moved in the 1870s. Here he studied at the Higher Grade School and in the studio of Cambridge sculptor Henry Wiles.

Brock began his illustrative career working for a number of different publishers. For George Routledge & Sons he illustrated The Parachute by J. R. Johnson (1891); and for Tyneside publisher Walter Scott he illustrated The Humour of Germany (1892) and The Humour of America (1893) in wash. But it was as an illustrator for the Cranford series published by Macmillan that he first came to public attention. Charles -- who dropped his middle name when signing his work -- produced 130 black & white illustrations for Thomas Hood's Humorous Poems (1893) and 100 for an edition of Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels (1894). In 1895, Brock illustrated Annals of the Parish by John Galt and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin, but his major achievement was for the two-volume Macmillan edition of Charles Kingsley's Westward Ho! (1896).

At the same time he was producing illustrations for The Sunday Magazine and Good Words, and was now in great demand. For Service and Paton he illustrated Ivanhoe in 1897, followed by The Lady of the Lake (1898), The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1898) and The Vicar of Wakefield (1898).

Charles's career was followed closely by that of his younger brother, Henry Matthew Brock, who also illustrated books for Macmillan and Service & Paton's English Illustrated Novels series. The two shared a studio with a third brother, Richard Henry Brock, and Charles and Harry's mutual fascination with furniture and costumes of the 18th and early 19th century meant that they filled the studio with artefacts and reference material.

The two began working for J. M. Dent in the late 1890s, producing illustrations for editions of Jane Austin's novels. Charles also contributed pen & ink drawings to two volumes of Charles Lamb's The Essays of Elia (1900) and watercolour illustrations to Dent's English Idylls series (1904-09).

Writing in the Dictionary of National Biography, Ian Rogerson expresses the opinion that "Because of their versatility and willingness to take on such a wide variety of work, it is believed that the Brocks did not command the same respect publishers accorded Arthur Rackham and Edmund Dulac, who were much less prolific. As a result, they did not have the opportunity to work on lavish picture books issued by such publishers as Heinemann and Hodder and Stoughton between the turn of the century and 1914. Charles's best opportunity was to contribute coloured illustrations for Sampson Low's boxed, limited issues of Blackmore's Lorna Doone (1910) and three of Jeffrey Farnol's popular historical novels." Charles's association with Farnol, for whom he produced a great many book jackets, would continue until his death.

Illustrations in books suffered during the depressed 1920s and 1930s, but Charles continued to find work, including a series of Dickens's works, Pickwick Papers, Christmas Tales, Nicholas Nickleby and Martin Chuzzlewit (1930-32), The Heroes of Asgard by Annie & Eliza Keary (1930) and The Cuckoo Clock by Mrs. Molesworth (1931). He also worked for periodicals, including Punch, The Strand, The Graphic and The Captain.

Charles exhibited at the Royal Academy and at the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colour, as did Harry and Richard, and was elected a member of the Royal Institute in 1908.

Charles was married to Annie Dudley Smith in 1902. He died at his home, Cranford, 38 Grange Road, Cambridge, on 28 February 1938, aged 68.

Examples of Charles Edmund Brock's artwork can be found for sale at the Illustration Art Gallery.

Graham Allen

Born in 1940, Graham Allen is one of the unsung cartoonists whose work filled Fleetway's humour comics for 20 years, although his career in comics began many years earlier. A talent for humour must have run in the family as Allen's father, Clive, was half of a variety hall double act with Bobby Joy and for ten years was Max Miller's pianist.

Graham was already on Fleetway's staff by 1957 as an art bodger working on Davy Crockett and Kanasas Kid stories for Cowboy Comics Library. In the mid-1960s he established himself as a cartoonist with Fleetway drawing "Sir Munchkin—Have Lance Will Travel" for Lion and "One Man and his Dog" for Buster, as well as a weekly strip, "Lord Elpus", for Sunday Extra. He was lured over to work for Odhams on Smash!, Pow! and Wham! in a Baxendale-inspired anarchic style, although he had always crammed every inch of space with multiple characters dating back to the days of "Sir Munchkin". Probably his best work appeared in Smash! where he drew "Tuffy McGrew" and "The Nervs".

With the merger of Odhams' editorial with IPC's, Allen's work began to appear in the newly restyled IPC humour comics. Whizzer & Chips featured "Give a Dog a Bone" from its first issue, featuring the antics of a pooch who always finds trouble when trying to find a place to hide a bone; whilst another doggy character's ongoing battle with a butcher ("Mutt 'n' Chops") began appearing in Buster a few months later. IPC's next launch, Cor!!, featured the antics of the endlessly bored "Eddie" and a trickster whose attempts to spoil people's fun always ended in a comeuppance for "Spoilsport".

Allen also drew "Mickey's Moonbugs" for TV21 & Joe 90 and "Trouble Shooter" for Score 'n' Roar before linking up with Look-In to draw "Please Sir!", adapting the TV series starring John Alderton as teacher Bernard Hedges and a classroom full of miscreants led by Peter Cleall's Eric Duffy. Duffy and his pals (girlfriend Sharon, dimwitted Dennis and the rest) also starred in a spin-off series, The Fenn Street Gang, which Allen also transferred to the pages of Look-In.

One of Allen's most fondly-remembered strips, "Fiends and Neighbours" debuted in Cor!! in 1973, transferring to Buster when Cor!! was merged a few months later. In it, the Jones's, a nice respectable couple in a nice, quiet neighbourhood, find their lives are subjected to all kinds of terrors by newcomers, the Really-Ghastly family, who move in next door.

Allen continued to supply IPC with many more strips during the 1970s, including "Spy School" for new launch Whoopee! in 1974 and "Scruffy Dog and Shaggy Dog" and "Clarence Stringbean" for Buster, as well as drawing strips for D. C. Thomson ("Copycat" for Magic, and "Digby the Human Mole" for Plug) and TV Comic ("Nelly and her Telly").

In 1981, Allen began drawing his best known strip, "Pub Dog" for the Daily Express and, later, the Evening News. Allen's newspaper work in the 1980s and 1990s included "King Kat" in the Daily Star, "One Boy and His Dog" in the News of the World and "Rocky Starr" in People Magazine. He was also briefly the political cartoonist for Robert Maxwell's London Daily News.

Already a prolific illustrator of books (many of them featuring animals and nature), in the 1990s Allen established himself as a caricaturist of politicians and others in the Daily Express.

Some of Graham Allen's work on Please Sir is available for sale at the Illustration Art Gallery.

Luis Arcas Brauner

Luis Arcas Brauner was a widely admired painter of portraits (including those of Spanish royalty), landscapes and still life. Born in Valencia on 20 October 1934, he enrolled in the School of Commerce at his father's insistence. Arcas, who wanted to devote himself to the arts, eventually entered the Escuela Superior de Bellas artes de San Carlos in Valencia, where he studied until 1954. In that year he held his first exhibition.

Arcas won numerous awards throughout his career as a painter, including the Silver Medal at the 13th Exposición de arte Universitario in 1952, the Premio extradordinario nacional at the 5th National Competition of Fine Arts in Alicante in 1956 and the Premio "La Coruña" at the exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes in Madrid in 1960.

His work was widely exhibited in Spain and in North and South America. He was one of the artists who participated in the "Setenta y cinco años de pintura valenciana" (Seventy-Five years of Valencian painting) exhibition supported by the Valencia City Council in 1975. A retrospective of his work, "Treinta años de vida profesional" (Thirty years of professional life), was exhibited at the Caja de Ahorros de Valencia.

He died in Cambridge, England, in July 1989, aged 54. Five years after his death, his work was celebrated as part of "Un siglo de pintura valenciana" (A century of Valencian painting) in Valencia.

The above illustration of a mounted hussar was painted for the children's educational magazine World of Wonder in 1971 and is available for sale at the Illustration Art Gallery.

Latest Art: September 2010

Will Eisner

Over 140 new art works added so far this month from 50 artists including 7 artists  NEW to the Gallery)
Enjoy the newly added art in our September slideshow!

Neal Adams	Four exciting colour prints depicting Tarzan in dynamic action scenes
Severino Baraldi	colourful painting showing Ancient costumes
Jesus Blasco	charming paintings entitled Making Sandwiches and Digging for Victory
Brian Bolland	History of the DC Universe Portfolio NEW
John Bolton	Hourglass portfolio of 5 stunning B&W prints signed by Bolton
Frank Brangwyn	Limited edtition The Way Of The Cross portfolio NEW
Robert Brook	an atmospheric pen and ink wash entitled Red Bonnet after the adventures of Pierre the young son of a murdered Vicomte, caught up in the turmoil of the French Revolution
Ralph Bruce	signed pen and inks featuring Walteof the last Anglo-Saxon Earl commiting treason and pleading before King William
Caza	Box set with 8 Plates and large format full colour book with cover signed by Caza.
Richard Corben	exciting Pilgor the Plunderer portfolio of 8 stunning plates
Graham Coton	dramatic paintings depicting a sinking submarine, the Long Ordeal of William Mann and The Mayflower Sails Again
Reginald B Davis	gorgeous painting of an African Grey Parrot
Neville Dear	atmospheric gouache Livingstone I Presume?, painted for Look and Learn magazine
Will Eisner	The Spirit full colour four page tabloid size adventure for everyone's favourite masked crime hunter
Gerry Embleton	fine paintings including British Soldier Before Battle of Saratoga, The Battle of Senlac and Merlin Casts a Spell, plus Hande Hoch!
Ron Embleton	resonant paintings including Cardinal Wolsey and Sir Thomas More, Pilgrim Fathers and Courage of the Chavante, plus a study of Coventry Cathedral and Beauty and the Beast serial
Dan Escott	striking watercolours depicting some surprising Cities' Coats-of-arms plus Samurai and The Burghers Of Calais Submit to Edward III
Harry Green	a striking portrait of a Carib Indian, the London Blitz and a colourful illustration of Bus and Rail working symbiotically
Wilf Hardy	fine depictions of Korean Dragon Warship and a close-up of Aircraft landing gear in action signed by the artist
Burne Hogarth	rare portfolio of 6 B&W King Arthur prints (signed)
Richard Hook	distinct illustrations depicting Edwardians at the Seaside, a Duellist and a Brass Band (signed)
Andrew Howat	striking depictions of the Russian Revolution and The Legend of Beowulf
Peter Jackson	glorious paintings featuring King Henry hunting with falcons and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and St Paul's Cathedral
Hank Jankus	signed Portfolio of REM prints NEW
Jack Keay	dynamic gouache showing an explorer travelling down a river by raft with an African guide
Jack Kirby	amazing portfolio of World's Famous Comic Books Artists (16 prints by Walt Simonson, Jean-Claude Gal, Bob McLeod, John Buscema, John Severin, Caza, Mike Zeck, Brian Bolland, Yves Chaland, Denis Sire, Howard Chaykin, Gil Kane, Mike Kaluta, ...!)
Bill Lacey	wonderful Odd Inventions including a windmill-driven car!
Viginio Livraghi	uplifting painting of Brer Rabbit's Picnic in the Woods signed by Livraghi NEW
Angus McBride	dramatic illustration of the Dardanelles Disaster
Hugh McNeill	charming watercolours featuring Harold Hare's Garden Party
Philip Mendoza	charming gouaches featuring Mouseland and Nigel, Stephanie and the King
Frank Miller	magnificent Marvel Team-Up Portfolio Set 2 showcasing assorted Marvel heavy weights in superhero team-up action
Moebius	Limited edition Portfolios featuring City of Fire, Verdere Napoli and Sur L'Étoile Une Croisière Citroën
Rudy Nebres	Creatures of the Night Portfolio signed by Nebres NEW
Mark A Nelson	gripping Aliens Portfolio including rare mini comic by Mark Verheiden and Mark Nelson
Will Nickless	atmospheric scenes of yesteryear Penny Post, Bandit Country and Postal delivery in Elizabethan times NEW
Patrick Nicolle	sporting originals including Jimmy Wilde vs Pancho Villa (Boxing) and Man Bites Dog (running)
Alex Nino	set of eight The Fantasy Worlds of Alex Nino prints signed by Alex Nino
Alexander Oliphant	dramatic depiction of a scene from the opening instalment of the story Sea Change by Richard Armstrong
Jose Ortiz	beguiling and amusing The Pied Piper of Hamelin illustration for a children's book
Nadir Quinto	Music Charms the Savage Beast plus other illustrations for a children's magazine
Simon	charming watercolour painted for a Christmas greeting card Christmas Surprise for Rabbit
Stobo	painting of Combine Harvesters At Work signed by the artist NEW
Ferdinando Tacconi	some paintings with a strong Nautical theme, including Crossing the Equator and Visiting the Ship's Bridge
Vet	a glorious painted reproduction of Frank Frazetta's classic Egyptian Queen picture!
Gerry Wood	vivid paintings featuring Vickers mini-submarine plus German Retreat from Moscow
Wally Wood	two fine Portfolios of prints EC Weird Science Portfolio and Wallace Wood Illustrator Archives vol. 1
Peter Woolcock	glorious illustrations from Wind in the Willows featuring Toad, Ratty and Mole
Bernie Wrightson	macabre full colour Portfolio of Berni Wrightson Apparitions prints
Unattributed	glorious illustration of Nellie the Elephant!

Peter Andrews

I have to admit that I've struck out on Peter Andrews... can't find a thing about him apart from the titles of a handful of childrens' classics he illustrated in the late 1960s. There was an artist named Peter B. Andrews who did the illustrations for Rim-Rocked. A story of the New West by Emmie D. Mygatt (New York, Longmans, Green & Co., 1952) who might just be the same guy.

Andrews illustrated a couple of pieces in the magazine Bible Story in 1964, one of which is offered for sale by the Illustration Art Gallery.

Illustrated Books
Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, abridged by Sarah Lindsey. Brighton, Litor Publishers, 1967.
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, abridged by Sarah Lindsey. Brighton, Litor Publishers, 1967.
Sinbad, retold by Shirley Dean. Robert J. Tyndall Ltd., 1968.