Claude A Shepperson, an original pen and ink book illustration

c1910, a historical sketch showing a monk with a lyre and early warriors

Author

Publisher

Printing Details

This is an original hand-drawn sketch by Claude A Shepperson. It has been drawn directly onto card, and signed lower left. The card measures 36.5 × 30cms, and the image is 24 × 16cms. Undated but likely to date from his prolific illustration period (approximately 1894 to 1910). I haven't been able to identify the book's title, or it may have been an illustration for a story in one of the many magazines he drew for.

It appears to be set in early medieval, Anglo-Saxon or Viking times, and the central figure of a monk or bard carrying a lyre or crwth is holding forth with a group of warriors, armed with double-headed axes, shields and a spear. The setting is rolling countryside. The main figure is possibly King Alfred, disguised and entering the Danish camp with his lyre, but this is just a suggestion.

Claude Allin Shepperson, ARA, ARWS, ARE, RI (1867–1921) was an influential English painter, printmaker, and illustrator celebrated for his fluid pen work, atmospheric compositions, and elegant draftsmanship. After abandoning legal studies in 1891 to train at Heatherley’s in London and in Paris, he became a prolific contributor to major periodicals—most notably Punch, where his graceful social satire popularized the iconic "Shepperson girl." Beyond his work for magazines like The Strand and The Tatler, Shepperson illustrated classic literary works, including Longmans’ 1902 Swan Edition of Shakespeare, H.G. Wells's The First Men in the Moon, and novels by Charles Dickens. Elected an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1919, his original watercolours, etchings, and drawings are held today in major public collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum, and Tate.

Condition

The sketch itself is in very good condition for age. There is some light tanning but it remains clear. The outer edges of the card are quite tanned but once mounted and framed, this wouldn't be an issue.

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