ARTISTS AND ILLUSTRATIONS
A special feature of the Novel Adventures exhibit is attention to the illustrations within Charles King's books. King was a popular writer in his day, and his books boast the talents of such artists as Frederic Remington, Rufus Zogbaum, Gilbert Gaul, A.F. Harmer, E.W. Deming, Violet Oakley, Charles Post, and many others. King's writing style was both detail-oriented and dramatic, with vivid descriptions of crucial scenes. The artists took full advantage of both King's drama and his realism, resulting in many illustrations that can be matched with particular sections of King's texts.
The artists listed below are featured in the Novel Adventures : The Life and Writing of General Charles King exhibit.While this is not a comprehensive list of all artists who illustrated King's works, it does include most major artists associated with his books
Connell, E.M. (Unidentified artist)
A very romantic passage in King’s book From the Ranks is matched by an equally romantic painting. We regret that the apparent signature of E.M. Connell is so far undocumented in the art literature.
Deming, Edwin Willard (1860-1942)
An Apache Princess
A Daughter
of the Sioux
Deming became well known for his illustrations, paintings and murals of American Indian life. He worked on several projects with Frederic Remington, including An Apache Princess and A Daughter of the Sioux.
Gaul, Gilbert (1855-1919)
Gaul was a noted American illustrator best known for dramatic scenes of military life and battles. His art style was well suited to Charles King’s romantic yet realistic narratives, as shown in Between the Lines. Gaul won several major exhibition medals and honors during the 1880s and early 1890s in America and Europe.
Goodwin, Alida (1865?- ??)
Illustrating one of the very few King books published locally in Wisconsin, Goodwin appears to be an artist from Menasha, Wisconsin. Her illustrations of women are among the most graceful and beautiful to be found in any of King’s books.
Harmer, A. F. (1856-1925)
Harmer served in the U.S. Army cavalry in Arizona in the early 1880s, qualifying him to illustrate King’s Arizona Territory novel The Colonel’s Daughter. His illustrations also appeared in Harper’s Weekly for stories on the Apache.
Huybers, John
Huybers was a painter active in the Boston area. His artwork dates mostly from 1887-1902. Very little is known about him.
Oakley, Violet (1874- 1960)
Painter, sculptor, illustrator and writer, Oakley had numerous exhibitions in both America and Europe, winning many prizes and awards. She studied for a time under Howard Pyle.
Plaistio, E. (Unidentified artist)
This artist chose to illustrate a humorous section of King’s story of a Chicago newspaper strike, but to date the apparent signature E. Plaistio has not been identified in the art literature.
Post, Charles Johnson. (1873-19??)
A painter and journalist, Post worked with many prominent newspapers and journals of his time as artist, writer and editor. These publications include Harper’s Magazine, New York Times, Century Magazine, Cosmopolitan, and the Associated Press.
Remington, Frederic (1861-1909)
A Daughter of the Sioux
An Apache
Princess
Frederic Remington is the most famous of the many artists who illustrated the books and stories of Charles King. Remington’s illustrations were commissioned for A Daughter of the Sioux and An Apache Princess. However, his illustrations in King’s book To The Front were reprinted from Harpers Magazine.
Starkweather, William E. B. (1876-1969)
Captured: The Story of Sandy Ray
Starkweather’s illustrations for King’s book Captured in 1906 represent some of this artist’s early work. He later came to prominence in the 1920s in New York and Philadelphia for his watercolors and oil paintings. He also became a teacher at art schools in New York.
Stone, Seymour (1877- 19??)
Stone is best known for his portraits of European nobility and prominent Americans. In contrast, this battle scene in Norman Holt is full of action.
Zogbaum, Rufus F. (1849-1925)
War-Time
Wooing
The Iron
Brigade
Uncle Sam’s Medal of Honor
Zogbaum specialized in illustrations and paintings of the military and the American west. His attention to detail and action made his artwork a natural complement to King’s style of writing.