Walter Paget (illustrator)
Walter Stanley Paget was a British 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, and was the youngest of three brothers, Henry M. Paget and Sidney Paget, all illustrators.
Early life
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.Walter Paget provided illustrations for numerous authors of the era, including the 1910 edition of Charles and Mary Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare, and Doyle's 1913 Holmes short story, "The Adventure of the Dying Detective," in The Strand Magazine. He illustrated adventure novels by G. A. Henty, F. S. Brereton and Herbert Strang, among others.
Authors illustrated by Paget
Among the author's whose work was illustrate by Wal Paget were the following.- Alfred Barrett, Alfred Wilson Barrett, an English editor and novelist
- Tom Bevan, a British author of boys' adventure fiction.
- R. D. Blackmore, an English novelist now best remembered for Lorna Doone.
- Joseph Bowes, an Australian Methodist cleric who wrote juvenile fiction, mostly with Australian themes.
- Alfred John Church, a Classical Scholar who wrote books on the Romans and Greeks, as well as other historical topics.
- Arthur O. Cooke, a prolific author of books for children, especially non-ficion, on nature, geography, history etc.
- E. E. Cowper, Edith Eliza Cowper, a prolific English author of juvenile fiction, much of which was published by the SPCK, who had ten children by Frank Cowper, yachtsman and author, from whom she separated shortly after the last of her children was born.
- H. B. Davidson, Helene Beatrice Davidson, who wrote over two dozen books in the 1920s and 1930s, mostly about Girl Guides and Brownies, with a few featuring Boy Scouts.
- Daniel Defoe, who wrote Robinson Crusoe and A Journal of the Plague Year among other works.
- Evelyn Everett-Green, who moved from pious stores for children, through historical romances, to adult romances under a range of pseudonyms.
- George Manville Fenn, a prolific author of fiction for young adults.
- Charles Alan Fyffe, an English historian and journalist.
- Bret Harte, an American short-story writer and poet.
- Herbert Hayens, who wrote juvenile fiction and school-books
- G. A. Henty, a prolific writer of boy's adventure fiction, often set in a historical context, who had himself served in the military and been a war correspondent.
- Ascott R. Hope, a prolific author of children's books, especially school stories, and of Black's Guides.
- Anna Jameson, Anna Brownell Jameson, an Anglo-Irish art historian and writer on a range of topics
- William Johnston
- David Ker, an English journalist, traveller, soldier, and author of juvenile fiction, who based the action in his stories on his own hair-raising experiences.
- Henry Kingsley, an English novelist, editor, and war correspondent, a brother to Charles Kingsley.
- Charles and Mary Lamb, who wrote Tales From Shakespeare for children.
- Edward Bulwer Lytton, Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton, an English politician and Writer who first used the opening line It was a dark and stormy night.
- Bessie Marchant, who wrote adventure fiction featuring young female heroines, sometimes used the pseudonym Bessie Comfort.
- Frederick Marryat, a Royal Navy officer who wrote adventure books for children.
- L. T. Meade, Elizabeth Thomasina Meade Smith, a prolific Irish writer of stories for girls.
- Dorothea Moore, an English actress, wartime nurse's aide, and the author of more than sixty works of juvenile fiction including both historical fiction and school stories.
- Alexander Pope, regarded as on of the greatest English poets, best known for The Rape of the Lock.
- Walter Scott, the Scottish historical novelist, poet, and historian who wrote Ivanhoe.
- R. L. Stevenson, the Scottish poet and novelist who wrote Treasure Island and other adventure fiction.
- Herbert Strang, a pair of writers producing adventure fiction for boys, both historical and modern-day.
- William Makepeace Thackeray, a British novelist, author and illustrator born in India, best known for Vanity Fair.
- Lucy L. Weedon, a prolific author of stories for small children and simplified accounts of stories from Dickens, the Bible etc.
- Percy Westerman, a prolific author of boys' adventure fiction, many with military and naval themes.
- Charlotte Mary Yonge, who became a Sunday School teacher aged seven and remained one for the next seventy one years, she wrote to promote her religious views.
The fine art edition of Robinson Crusoe
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
- ... it would be impossible to speak too highly of the illustrations.Buchan Observer and East Aberdeenshire Advertiser
- The printing and the illustrations, all of which are new, far surpass any former edition.Dover Express
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Messrs. Cassell's new fine art edition of "Robinson Cruse is nearing completion. Mr Walter Paget's drawings are often very beautiful.Liverpool Mercury
- 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
- 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
- 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.
- ... surely no boys ever had a more beautiful or enjoyable edition that the which has been issued my 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
- ... 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
Paget's Illustrations for ''Robinson Crusoe''
Illustration by Walter Paget for fine-art Cassell edition of Robinson Crusoe – by courtesy of British Library