RICHARD WESTALL (1765—1836) was a designer for books as well as a water-colour painter. He made designs for Bibles and Prayer-books, which were very popular. His best-known works are illustrations of the "Arabian Nights." His brother WILLIAM WESTALL (1781—1850), was a designer of considerable note, especially of landscapes.
ROBERT SMIRKE (1752—1845), a native of Wigton, in Cumberland, is chiefly known by his illustrations of Shakespeare and Cervantes. He came early to London, and, as an apprentice to an heraldic painter, decorated coach panels. He studied at the Academy, and in 1786 exhibited Sabrina, from "Comus," and Narcissus. When chosen a full member of the Academy Smirke's diploma picture was Don Quixote and Sancho. In the National Gallery are twelve illustrations of "Don Quixote," three representing scenes of the same story, and a scene from the "Hypocrite," in which Mawworm, Dr. Cantwell, and Lady Lambert appear.
THOMAS UWINS (1782—1857) began life as an apprentice to an engraver, entered the Royal Academy schools, and became known as a designer for books, as well as a portrait painter. His book designs were chiefly frontispieces, vignettes, and title-page adornments. Uwins for a time belonged to the Society of Water-colour Painters—from 1809 to 1818. In 1824 he visited Italy, and, after seven years' sojourn, returned to win fame and honour by oil paintings. He was elected an A.R.A. in 1833; a Royal Academician in 1839, and subsequently held the offices of Librarian to the Academy, Surveyor of her Majesty's Pictures, and Keeper of the National Gallery. Among his best pictures are Le Chapeau de Brigand, and the Vintage in the Claret Vineyards (National Gallery); The Italian Mother teaching her Child the Tarantella, and a Neapolitan Boy decorating the Head of his Innamorata (South Kensington Museum).
Before quitting this branch of art mention must be made of one who, though an engraver and not a painter, occupies an important place among book illustrators:—
THOMAS BEWICK (1753—1828), born at Cherryburn, near Newcastle-on-Tyne, adopted a fine mode of wood-engraving. Hitherto many illustrations of books had been engraved on copper, and were necessarily separate from the letterpress. Bewick's process allowed the cut and the words it illustrated to be printed at the same time. In this way he adorned "Gay's Fables," a "General History of Quadrupeds," and his most famous work, "The History of British Birds" (1797), in which he showed the knowledge of a naturalist combined with the skill of an artist. His last work was the illustrations of Æsop's Fables, upon which he was engaged six years. He was assisted by his brother John Bewick, who founded a school of wood-engravers, and by some of John's pupils, among whom were Robert Johnson and Luke Clennell.
We have already seen that modern English art began with portraiture, which always has been, and always will be, popular. We have noticed some miniature painters, or "limners in little," who flourished in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, when miniature painting had among its greatest masters Samuel Cooper, who has never been surpassed.
