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Nicolas Clerihew Bentley (14 June 1907 – 14 August 1978) was a British writer and illustrator, best known for his humorous cartoon drawings in books and magazines in the 1930s and 1940s. The son of Edmund Clerihew Bentley (inventor of the clerihew verse form), he was given the name Nicholas, but opted to change the spelling.
Nicholas Clerihew Bentley was born on 14 June 1907 at Highgate in London. He was educated at University College School, which he left at the age of 17, having decided that his academic abilities would not take him to university. He then enrolled at Heatherleys School of Fine Art, a prestigious private college, but left after a few months. After leaving Heatherley's, Bentley worked without pay as a clown in a circus. When this job ended, he was a film extra; and during the General Strike of 1926 he worked on the London Underground.[1]
Professional illustration
It was at this time that Bentley sold his first drawing to his godfather, G. K. Chesterton. He had a commission to draw illustrations for a trade newspaper called Man and his clothes in 1928, and his first regular job as an illustrator was in the publicity department of Shell. Bentley worked for Shell for three years, but disliked working in advertising. In 1930, Hilaire Belloc (who was a friend of his father) invited him to illustrate his book New Cautionary Tales. The good critical reception of this book and its illustrations allowed him to go freelance.[1]
Publishing career
As well as becoming a freelance artist, writer and journalist, Bentley also followed a career in publishing. From 1950 he was director of Andre Deutsch. He later worked as an editor for Mitchell Beazley Ltd; for Sunday Times Publications from 1962 to 1963; and for Thomas Nelson from 1963 to 1967.[2]
Author and Illustrator
During the 1930s Bentley illustrated works ranging from J. B. Morton to Damon Runyon. His most famous drawings were to illustrate T. S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, but he illustrated more than 70 books in the course of a long career. He customarily used the byline "Nicolas Bentley drew the pictures". His favourite illustration work was for his own books and he considered himself primarily an author. One of his best-known books, Ready Refusals, or, The White Liar's Engagement Book gives a quotation for every day of the year, drawn from a surprisingly wide range of sources, together with an appropriate illustration. He also wrote and illustrated Golden Sovereigns – and some of lesser value – from Boadicea to Elizabeth II (1970), a humorous book about the English/British monarchy.
Marriage
On 17 October 1934, he married Barbara Hastings (1908–1989), a writer of children's books and the daughter of Sir Patrick Gardiner Hastings; they had one child, Arabella, in 1943.[1]
After the war he took a few regular cartooning jobs, including on Time and Tide (1952–54) and drawing pocket cartoons for the Daily Mail from 1958. He gave this job up in 1962, complaining that it put too much strain on him. In later life he was the illustrator for Auberon Waugh's Diary in Private Eye and contributed other cartoons to the magazine.
His autobiography, A Version of the Truth, was published in 1960. On his death, Auberon Waugh wrote in Private Eye: "Nick was a gentle, modest, humorous man, with none of the usual characteristics of the highly individual genius which inspired his quiet professionalism and supreme technical ability."[citation needed]
Southern, Terry, The Magic Christian (Deutsch, 1959) - dust jacket design only
Duke of Bedford, John, The Duke of Bedford's Book of Snobs (Peter Owen, 1965)
References
^ abcdeMcLean, Ruari (2004). "Oxford DNB article: Bentley, Nicolas Clerihew (subscription needed)". Oxford University Press. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
^Horne, Alan (1999). The Dictionary of 20th Century British Book Illustrators. Antique Collectors' Club. pp. 100–101.
Further reading
Ruari McLean, 'Bentley, Nicolas Clerihew', in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004)
Richard Ingrams, 'Nicolas Bentley', in Folio (1979 Spring), p. 4-9
Nicolas Bentley, A Version of the Truth (1960)
External links
National Portrait Gallery Nicholas Clerihew Bentley (1953 photograph)
University of Kent: British Cartoons Archive Biography: Nicholas Bentley
Nicolas Bentley at Library of Congress Authorities, with 54 catalogue records
January 08, 2023
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This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article relies largely or entirely on a single source Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources Find sources Nicolas Bentley news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2017 This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Nicolas Bentley news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message Nicolas Clerihew Bentley 14 June 1907 14 August 1978 was a British writer and illustrator best known for his humorous cartoon drawings in books and magazines in the 1930s and 1940s The son of Edmund Clerihew Bentley inventor of the clerihew verse form he was given the name Nicholas but opted to change the spelling Contents 1 Early career 2 Professional illustration 3 Publishing career 4 Author and Illustrator 5 Marriage 6 Post war work 7 Books written and illustrated selected 8 Books illustrated selected 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External linksEarly career EditNicholas Clerihew Bentley was born on 14 June 1907 at Highgate in London He was educated at University College School which he left at the age of 17 having decided that his academic abilities would not take him to university He then enrolled at Heatherleys School of Fine Art a prestigious private college but left after a few months After leaving Heatherley s Bentley worked without pay as a clown in a circus When this job ended he was a film extra and during the General Strike of 1926 he worked on the London Underground 1 Professional illustration EditIt was at this time that Bentley sold his first drawing to his godfather G K Chesterton He had a commission to draw illustrations for a trade newspaper called Man and his clothes in 1928 and his first regular job as an illustrator was in the publicity department of Shell Bentley worked for Shell for three years but disliked working in advertising In 1930 Hilaire Belloc who was a friend of his father invited him to illustrate his book New Cautionary Tales The good critical reception of this book and its illustrations allowed him to go freelance 1 Publishing career EditAs well as becoming a freelance artist writer and journalist Bentley also followed a career in publishing From 1950 he was director of Andre Deutsch He later worked as an editor for Mitchell Beazley Ltd for Sunday Times Publications from 1962 to 1963 and for Thomas Nelson from 1963 to 1967 2 Author and Illustrator EditDuring the 1930s Bentley illustrated works ranging from J B Morton to Damon Runyon His most famous drawings were to illustrate T S Eliot s Old Possum s Book of Practical Cats but he illustrated more than 70 books in the course of a long career He customarily used the byline Nicolas Bentley drew the pictures His favourite illustration work was for his own books and he considered himself primarily an author One of his best known books Ready Refusals or The White Liar s Engagement Book gives a quotation for every day of the year drawn from a surprisingly wide range of sources together with an appropriate illustration He also wrote and illustrated Golden Sovereigns and some of lesser value from Boadicea to Elizabeth II 1970 a humorous book about the English British monarchy Marriage EditOn 17 October 1934 he married Barbara Hastings 1908 1989 a writer of children s books and the daughter of Sir Patrick Gardiner Hastings they had one child Arabella in 1943 1 Post war work EditBentley had enrolled as an auxiliary fireman in 1938 and served in the London Fire Brigade during the Second World War He illustrated How to be an Alien 1946 by George Mikes After the war he took a few regular cartooning jobs including on Time and Tide 1952 54 and drawing pocket cartoons for the Daily Mail from 1958 He gave this job up in 1962 complaining that it put too much strain on him In later life he was the illustrator for Auberon Waugh s Diary in Private Eye and contributed other cartoons to the magazine He moved to Downhead near Shepton Mallet in Somerset 1 He died on 14 August 1978 in the Royal United Hospital Bath Somerset 1 His autobiography A Version of the Truth was published in 1960 On his death Auberon Waugh wrote in Private Eye Nick was a gentle modest humorous man with none of the usual characteristics of the highly individual genius which inspired his quiet professionalism and supreme technical ability citation needed Books written and illustrated selected EditAll Fall Down Nicholson amp Watson 1932 Die I Thought I d Laugh Methuen 1936 Ballet Hoo Cresset 1937 Le Sport Gollancz 1937 The Tongue Tied Canary Joseph 1948 The Floating Dutchman 1950 Third Party Risk Michael Joseph 1953 How can you bear to be human Deutsch 1957 Nicholas Bentley A Version of the Truth Deutsch 1960 The Victorian Scene 1837 1901 Weidenfeld 1968 Tales From Shakespeare Beazley 1972 Edwardian Album Weidenfeld amp Nicolson Cardinal 1974 The Dickens Index Tales from Shakespeare Inside Information crime novel Deutsch 1974 Nicolas Bentley s Book of Birds Second ThoughtsBooks illustrated selected EditBentley E C More Biography Methuen 1929 Belloc H New Cautionary Tales Duckworth 1930 Morton J B The Beachcomber Omnibus Muller 1931 Belloc H Cautionary Verses 1940 Eliot T S Old Possum s Book of Practical Cats Faber 1940 Linklater E The Wind on the Moon Macmillan 1944 Southern Terry The Magic Christian Deutsch 1959 dust jacket design only Duke of Bedford John The Duke of Bedford s Book of Snobs Peter Owen 1965 References Edit a b c d e McLean Ruari 2004 Oxford DNB article Bentley Nicolas Clerihew subscription needed Oxford University Press Retrieved 28 December 2011 Horne Alan 1999 The Dictionary of 20th Century British Book Illustrators Antique Collectors Club pp 100 101 Further reading EditRuari McLean Bentley Nicolas Clerihew in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004 Richard Ingrams Nicolas Bentley in Folio 1979 Spring p 4 9 Nicolas Bentley A Version of the Truth 1960 External links EditNational Portrait Gallery Nicholas Clerihew Bentley 1953 photograph University of Kent British Cartoons Archive Biography Nicholas Bentley Nicolas Bentley at Library of Congress Authorities with 54 catalogue records Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nicolas Bentley amp oldid 1112184591, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
