Edward A. Wilson (illustrator)
Edward Arthur Wilson was an American illustrator, printmaker and commercial artist best known for his book and magazine illustrations.
Early life
Wilson was born on March 4, 1886, in Glasgow, Scotland; one of two sons born to Edward J. Wilson and Euphemia E. Murray. In 1893, the family emigrated to the United States and by no later than 1900, the family had settled in Chicago. Edward attended the Art Institute of Chicago, and later studied with illustrator Howard Pyle.Career
In 1921, Wilson designed the cover for William McFee's An Engineer's Notebook. His first full-length project was Iron Men and Wooden Ships, a collection of sailor shanties edited by author and bookseller Frank Shay. Over the next two decades, Wilson illustrated many classic novels, including Robinson Crusoe, The Man Without a Country, Treasure Island, and Jane Eyre. Later, he produced illustrations for magazines and a number of World War II propaganda posters; a number of these are included in Thomas Craven's The Book of Edward A. Wilson. In 1945, Wilson's work was featured in Life Magazine.Personal life
Wilson was married to Jane Roe and they had two daughters, one of whom was the actress Perry Wilson.Death
On October 2, 1970, after a long struggle with an undisclosed illness, Wilson died at the age of 84 in Dobbs Ferry.Works
Books
- Shay, Frank, ed. Iron Men and Wooden Ships. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Page & Company.
- Rogers, Cameron, ed.. '. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Page & Company.
- Dana, Richard Henry. Two Years Before the Mast. Chicago: Lakeside Press.
- Attiwill, Ken. Windjammer. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Doran & Company.
- DeFoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. New York: Heritage Press.
- Fennimore, Daniel Last of the Mohicans. Avon, Conn: Heritage Press.
- Hudson, William Henry. Green Mansions. New York: Limited Editions Club.
- Loomis, Alfred Loomis. Ranging the Main Coast. New York: Norton.
- McMurtrie, Douglas C.; Farran, Don; Wilson, Edward A., illustrations. '. New York: Rand, McNally & Company.
- Wilson, Edward; Wright Marine Collection. Blow High, Blow Low. New York: American Artists Group..
- Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth; Candy, Henry Seidel. . Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company.
- Shay, Frank, ed.. American Sea Songs and Chanteys. New York: W.W. Norton.
- Mathers, Edward Powys; Mardrus, J. C.; Forester, Cecil Scott. The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor, Volume 1. New York: Limited Editions Club.
Magazines
- Rogers, Cameron. . World's Work. pp. 108–111
- Service, Robert W.. . Cosmopolitan. pp. 46–47
- Filene, Edward A.. . The Rotarian. pp. 9–11, 62–64
- Ludwig, Emil. . The Rotarian. pp. 6–9, 54–55
- Dimnet, Abbé Ernest. . The Rotarian. pp. 17–18, 59–60
Collections
Wilson's work is held in the following permanent collection:- National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.: 7 works
Articles
- . The Los Angeles Times. January 4, 1925. p. 73
- . The Golden Book Magazine. December 1925. p. 20
Books
- Art Directors Club. '. New York: Publishers Printing Company.
- Craven, Thomas. The Book of Edward A. Wilson: A Survey of His Work, 1916-1948. New York: The Heritage Press..
- Carr, A.H.Z.. '. pp. 147–148..