Amédée Forestier
Encyclopedia
Sir Amédée Forestier was an Anglo-French artist and illustrator who specialised in historical and prehistoric scenes, and landscapes
.
, France and studied art under Henri Lehmann
at the École des Beaux-arts
. In 1882 he began working for The Illustrated London News (ILN), producing illustrations for news items and fictional stories. He also produced illustrations for the Windsor Magazine
, for the novels of several authors including Walter Besant
, and for various travel books by A & C Black
.
Forestier became known for his historical illustrations, especially his carefully researched drawings of archaeological finds such as prehistoric man. His drawings are notable for their attention to detail, a consequence of the need to convey a lot of visual information, with little accompanying text, in the popular illustrated magazines of the day.
In December 1911, a series of his drawings (accompanying text by Arthur Bulleid
) was published in The Illustrated London News, depicting scenes of everyday life in an Iron age
village near present day Glastonbury
- "Glastonbury Lake Village
". These scenes were widely reproduced and seen as influential in shaping public perceptions of prehistory
at the time.
Forestier also worked for the Royal Ontario Museum
and the Museum of London
, producing illustrations of Roman Life, and later had an illustrated book published on the subject - "The Roman Soldier" (A & C Black, 1928).
In 1922 his "Nebraska Man
" drawings appeared in The Illustrated London News. These reconstructions, in collaboration with scientist Grafton Elliot Smith, were of a possible ape-like ancestor of present-day man, based on a fossil tooth found in Nebraska
. However this drawing owed more to artistic imagination than scientific fact, and the find itself was scientifically insignificant.
Apart from his drawing, Forestier also painted in oils
and watercolour. He died in 1930.
Written and illustrated by Forestier:
Landscape art
Landscape art is a term that covers the depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, and especially art where the main subject is a wide view, with its elements arranged into a coherent composition. In other works landscape backgrounds for figures can still...
.
Life and work
Forestier was born in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France and studied art under Henri Lehmann
Henri Lehmann
Henri Lehmann was a German-born French historical painter and portraitist.__NOEDITSECTION__-Life:Born Heinrich Salem Lehmann in Kiel, Schleswig, Germany, he received his first art tuition from his father Leo Lehmann and from other painters in Hamburg...
at the École des Beaux-arts
École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts
The École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts is the distinguished National School of Fine Arts in Paris, France.The École des Beaux-arts is made up of a vast complex of buildings located at 14 rue Bonaparte, between the quai Malaquais and the rue Bonaparte, in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Près,...
. In 1882 he began working for The Illustrated London News (ILN), producing illustrations for news items and fictional stories. He also produced illustrations for the Windsor Magazine
Windsor Magazine
The Windsor Magazine was a monthly illustrated publication produced by Ward Lock & Co from January 1895 to September 1939 .The title page described it as "An Illustrated Monthly for Men and Women"....
, for the novels of several authors including Walter Besant
Walter Besant
Sir Walter Besant , was a novelist and historian who lived largely in London.His sister-in-law was Annie Besant.-Biography:...
, and for various travel books by A & C Black
A & C Black
A & C Black is a British book publishing company.The firm was founded in 1807 by Adam and Charles Black in Edinburgh, and moved to the Soho district of London in 1889. In 1851, the firm bought the copyright of Walter Scott's Waverley Novels for £27,000. In 1902 it published P. G...
.
Forestier became known for his historical illustrations, especially his carefully researched drawings of archaeological finds such as prehistoric man. His drawings are notable for their attention to detail, a consequence of the need to convey a lot of visual information, with little accompanying text, in the popular illustrated magazines of the day.
In December 1911, a series of his drawings (accompanying text by Arthur Bulleid
Glastonbury Lake Village
Glastonbury Lake Village was an iron age village on the Somerset Levels near Godney, some north west of Glastonbury, Somerset, England. It has been designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument and covers an area of north to south by east to west....
) was published in The Illustrated London News, depicting scenes of everyday life in an Iron age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
village near present day Glastonbury
Glastonbury
Glastonbury is a small town in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town, which is in the Mendip district, had a population of 8,784 in the 2001 census...
- "Glastonbury Lake Village
Glastonbury Lake Village
Glastonbury Lake Village was an iron age village on the Somerset Levels near Godney, some north west of Glastonbury, Somerset, England. It has been designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument and covers an area of north to south by east to west....
". These scenes were widely reproduced and seen as influential in shaping public perceptions of prehistory
Prehistory
Prehistory is the span of time before recorded history. Prehistory can refer to the period of human existence before the availability of those written records with which recorded history begins. More broadly, it refers to all the time preceding human existence and the invention of writing...
at the time.
Forestier also worked for the Royal Ontario Museum
Royal Ontario Museum
The Royal Ontario Museum is a museum of world culture and natural history in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With its main entrance facing Bloor Street in Downtown Toronto, the museum is situated north of Queen's Park and east of Philosopher's Walk in the University of Toronto...
and the Museum of London
Museum of London
The Museum of London documents the history of London from the Prehistoric to the present day. The museum is located close to the Barbican Centre, as part of the striking Barbican complex of buildings created in the 1960s and 70s as an innovative approach to re-development within a bomb damaged...
, producing illustrations of Roman Life, and later had an illustrated book published on the subject - "The Roman Soldier" (A & C Black, 1928).
In 1922 his "Nebraska Man
Nebraska Man
Nebraska Man was a name applied by the popular press to Hesperopithecus haroldcookii, a putative species of ape. Hesperopithecus meant "ape of the western world," and it was heralded as the first higher primate of North America...
" drawings appeared in The Illustrated London News. These reconstructions, in collaboration with scientist Grafton Elliot Smith, were of a possible ape-like ancestor of present-day man, based on a fossil tooth found in Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
. However this drawing owed more to artistic imagination than scientific fact, and the find itself was scientifically insignificant.
Apart from his drawing, Forestier also painted in oils
Oil painting
Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of drying oil—especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil such as linseed was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these were called 'varnishes' and were prized for their body...
and watercolour. He died in 1930.
Books (selected)
Illustrated by Forestier:- Besant, WalterWalter BesantSir Walter Besant , was a novelist and historian who lived largely in London.His sister-in-law was Annie Besant.-Biography:...
. The world went very well then: Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3 (London: Chatto & Windus, 1887). - Cobb, James Francis (adp. from Hendrik ConscienceHendrik ConscienceHenri "Hendrik" Conscience was a Belgian writer. He was a pioneer in writing in Dutch after the secession from the Netherlands in 1830 left Belgium a mostly French speaking country....
). Off to California : a tale of the gold country (London: Wells Gardner, Darton, & Co., 1887). - Collins, WilkieWilkie CollinsWilliam Wilkie Collins was an English novelist, playwright, and author of short stories. He was very popular during the Victorian era and wrote 30 novels, more than 60 short stories, 14 plays, and over 100 non-fiction pieces...
. Blind Love (London: Chatto & Windus, 1890). - Stockton, Frank R. Mrs Cliff's Yacht (Charles Scribner's sons, 1896).
- Moore, Frank F. The Jessamy Bride (Hutchinson, 1897)
- Pain, Barry E. O. The romantic history of Robin Hood (Harper, 1898).
- Drummond, Hamilton. The seven houses: a romance (New York : F.A. Stokes, 1901) - frontispiece.
- Pemberton, Sir MaxMax PembertonSir Max Pemberton was a popular British novelist, working mainly in the adventure and mystery genres. He was educated at St Albans School, Merchant Taylors' School, and Caius College, Cambridge...
. I crown thee a king: A romance (Methuen & Co., 1902). - Omond, George W. T. Bruges and West Flanders (A & C Black, 1906).
- Omond, George W. T. Belgium (A & C Black, 1908).
- Omond, George W. T. Liége and the Ardennes (A & C Black, 1908).
- Omond, George W. T. Belgium (Peeps at many lands) (A & C Black, 1909).
- Ambler, Benjamin George. Alfred, Lord Tennyson: his homes and haunts (T.C. & E.C. Jack, 1911).
- Bensusan, Samuel Levy. William Shakespeare, his homes and haunts (Dodge, 1912).
- Bensusan, Samuel Levy. William Wordsworth, his homes and haunts (Dodge, 1912).
- Baddeley, John F.John F. BaddeleyJohn Frederick Baddeley was a British traveller, scholar and journalist, best known by his works on Russia and the Caucasus region....
Russia, Mongolia, China .... (Macmillan and Company, 1919).
Written and illustrated by Forestier:
- The Roman Soldier: some illustrations representative of Roman military life with special reference to Britain (A & C Black, 1928)
Further reading
- Sam Smiles & Stephanie Moser. Envisioning the past: archaeology and the image (Wiley-Blackwell, 2005), Chapter 4.
External links
- Amédée Forestier on Artnet
- Illustrations from The romantic history of Robin Hood (University of RochesterUniversity of RochesterThe University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
Camelot project)