Thomas Crane (1843–1903) was an English illustrator and art director at Marcus Ward & Co. known for his colourful children's books and decorative greeting cards which often incorporated floral motifs.
Crane was the eldest son of Thomas Crane (1808–1859), a painter and miniaturist known for his portraits of celebrated figures, and Marie Crane (née Kearsley), the daughter of a prosperous malt-maker.[1]: 1–5 His father's craft and skill influenced the younger Crane, as well as his younger brother Walter Crane, later to become one of the most influential children's illustrators of his generation.
Crane was privately educated in Torquay, after which he was apprenticed to a lawyer, and later worked for several years at the General Post Office before devoting himself to a career in the arts. In the early 1860s and 1870s he designed cloth book-bindings for James Burn & Co. He later became the director of design at the London office of Marcus Ward & Co, where he designed the shopfront and supervised a large output of Christmas cards and books, some of which he also illustrated.[2] During Crane's term as art director, Marcus Ward produced a number of celebrated works by Walter Crane and Kate Greenaway.[3] The Christmas cards of Marcus Ward were well known for their quality, and during the 1800s were desirable among art collectors.[4] Art critic Gleeson White attributed the popularity to Crane's design and supervision. White writes that Crane oversaw "a series of cards which–quite apart from the excellence of their pictures, or floral devices–were embellished by most refined and appropriate ornamentation on their borders and backs. The lettering was not left to chance, or reduced to the bare simplicity of a label in ordinary type... but was planned to accord with it. The colours which distinguish this class of decoration are unusually happy. Pale blue lettering on sage green ground, citrons, olives, and tertiary colours were employed much as they were used by the so-called aesthetic school of furnishers of the same period."[5]
Crane was known for his ornamental work, which included floral designs and embellishments.[1]: 159–60 With Ellen Elizabeth Houghton, a cousin, and John G. Sowerby, he produced a series of acclaimed picture books for children. Among the most celebrated, At Home (1881), Abroad (1882), and At Home Again (1883) were described by librarian scholar Roger Dixon as "among the loveliest books ever produced."[3] He was also among several artists, including William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones, and Walter Crane, hired by the Royal School of Art Needlework to design patterns as part of a revival of art needlework or ornamental embroidery.[6][7] He and his brother also contributed illustrations to a collection of lectures by their sister Lucy Crane, a writer and scholar of art. In later years he returned to landscape painting, and some of his landscape work was exhibited in the Royal Academy.[2]
After being afflicted by paralysis, Crane died on 27 May 1903 at the age of 59 and was buried in London's Kensal Green Cemetery.[2]
Booksedit
Publications designed by Crane, or including his illustrations, include:
Marcus Ward & Co.
Art Embroidery: a Treatise on the Revived Practice of Decorative Needlework (1878) by Mary S. Lockwood & Elizabeth Glaister.
At Home (1881) with J. G. Sowerby
Abroad (1882) with Ellen Houghton
At Home Again (1883) with Eliza Keary & J. G. Sowerby
Art and the Formation of Taste (1882) by Lucy Crane. Macmillan & Co.
Galleryedit
Embroidery design (chrysanthemums) for tidy or chair-back
Embroidery design (lilacs) for a cushion
Embroidery design for tea-table cloth
End paper to London Town
New Years greeting card
Referencesedit
^ abCrane, Walter (1907). An Artist's Reminiscences. New York: Macmillan. pp. 1–5.
^ abcW. C. (6 June 1903). "Thomas Crane". The Athenaeum (3905). J. Francis: 729.
^ abDixon, Roger (2011). "Belfast Publishing". In Murphy, James H. (ed.). The Oxford History of the Irish Book, Volume IV: The Irish Book in English, 1800–1891. Oxford University Press. p. 79. ISBN978-0-19-818731-8.
^Dominic Janes (2015). Visions of Queer Martyrdom from John Henry Newman to Derek Jarman. University of Chicago Press. p. 118. ISBN978-0-226-25061-8.
^White, Gleeson (1895). Christmas Cards and their Chief Designers. London, New York: Studio, F.A. Stokes Company. pp. 16–17.
^Amelia Peck; Carol Irish (2001). Candace Wheeler: The Art and Enterprise of American Design, 1875–1900. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art. p. 23. ISBN978-1-58839-002-8.
^Kathryn Ledbetter (2012). Victorian Needlework. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. p. 22. ISBN978-0-313-38661-9.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thomas Crane (1843–1903).
Works related to Abroad (1882) at Wikisource
January 01, 1970
thomas, crane, 1843, 1903, english, illustrator, director, marcus, ward, known, colourful, children, books, decorative, greeting, cards, which, often, incorporated, floral, motifs, cover, abroad, 1882, embroidery, design, 1878, contents, life, books, gallery, . Thomas Crane 1843 1903 was an English illustrator and art director at Marcus Ward amp Co known for his colourful children s books and decorative greeting cards which often incorporated floral motifs Cover of Abroad 1882 Embroidery design 1878 Contents 1 Life 2 Books 3 Gallery 4 References 5 External linksLife editCrane was the eldest son of Thomas Crane 1808 1859 a painter and miniaturist known for his portraits of celebrated figures and Marie Crane nee Kearsley the daughter of a prosperous malt maker 1 1 5 His father s craft and skill influenced the younger Crane as well as his younger brother Walter Crane later to become one of the most influential children s illustrators of his generation Crane was privately educated in Torquay after which he was apprenticed to a lawyer and later worked for several years at the General Post Office before devoting himself to a career in the arts In the early 1860s and 1870s he designed cloth book bindings for James Burn amp Co He later became the director of design at the London office of Marcus Ward amp Co where he designed the shopfront and supervised a large output of Christmas cards and books some of which he also illustrated 2 During Crane s term as art director Marcus Ward produced a number of celebrated works by Walter Crane and Kate Greenaway 3 The Christmas cards of Marcus Ward were well known for their quality and during the 1800s were desirable among art collectors 4 Art critic Gleeson White attributed the popularity to Crane s design and supervision White writes that Crane oversaw a series of cards which quite apart from the excellence of their pictures or floral devices were embellished by most refined and appropriate ornamentation on their borders and backs The lettering was not left to chance or reduced to the bare simplicity of a label in ordinary type but was planned to accord with it The colours which distinguish this class of decoration are unusually happy Pale blue lettering on sage green ground citrons olives and tertiary colours were employed much as they were used by the so called aesthetic school of furnishers of the same period 5 Crane was known for his ornamental work which included floral designs and embellishments 1 159 60 With Ellen Elizabeth Houghton a cousin and John G Sowerby he produced a series of acclaimed picture books for children Among the most celebrated At Home 1881 Abroad 1882 and At Home Again 1883 were described by librarian scholar Roger Dixon as among the loveliest books ever produced 3 He was also among several artists including William Morris Edward Burne Jones and Walter Crane hired by the Royal School of Art Needlework to design patterns as part of a revival of art needlework or ornamental embroidery 6 7 He and his brother also contributed illustrations to a collection of lectures by their sister Lucy Crane a writer and scholar of art In later years he returned to landscape painting and some of his landscape work was exhibited in the Royal Academy 2 After being afflicted by paralysis Crane died on 27 May 1903 at the age of 59 and was buried in London s Kensal Green Cemetery 2 Books editPublications designed by Crane or including his illustrations include Marcus Ward amp Co Art Embroidery a Treatise on the Revived Practice of Decorative Needlework 1878 by Mary S Lockwood amp Elizabeth Glaister At Home 1881 with J G Sowerby Abroad 1882 with Ellen Houghton At Home Again 1883 with Eliza Keary amp J G Sowerby London Town 1883 with Ellen Houghton Calendar of the Months 1884 with Kate Greenway Holy Christmas 1896 with Georgie Gaskin Other publishers Art and the Formation of Taste 1882 by Lucy Crane Macmillan amp Co Gallery edit nbsp Embroidery design chrysanthemums for tidy or chair back nbsp Embroidery design lilacs for a cushion nbsp Embroidery design for tea table cloth nbsp End paper to London Town nbsp New Years greeting cardReferences edit a b Crane Walter 1907 An Artist s Reminiscences New York Macmillan pp 1 5 a b c W C 6 June 1903 Thomas Crane The Athenaeum 3905 J Francis 729 a b Dixon Roger 2011 Belfast Publishing In Murphy James H ed The Oxford History of the Irish Book Volume IV The Irish Book in English 1800 1891 Oxford University Press p 79 ISBN 978 0 19 818731 8 Dominic Janes 2015 Visions of Queer Martyrdom from John Henry Newman to Derek Jarman University of Chicago Press p 118 ISBN 978 0 226 25061 8 White Gleeson 1895 Christmas Cards and their Chief Designers London New York Studio F A Stokes Company pp 16 17 Amelia Peck Carol Irish 2001 Candace Wheeler The Art and Enterprise of American Design 1875 1900 New York Metropolitan Museum of Art p 23 ISBN 978 1 58839 002 8 Kathryn Ledbetter 2012 Victorian Needlework Santa Barbara ABC CLIO p 22 ISBN 978 0 313 38661 9 External links edit nbsp Children s literature portal nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thomas Crane 1843 1903 nbsp Works related to Abroad 1882 at Wikisource Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thomas Crane 1843 1903 amp oldid 1188009412, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
