Arthur Smith (illustrator)
Encyclopedia
Arthur Smith was a British natural history illustrator who specialised in entomology
. He was born in the village of Eastburn, between Skipton
and Keighley
in Yorkshire
, UK
.
During his youth he developed a keen interest in natural history from walks on the York Moors. At 15 he attended Keighley College of Arts and Crafts and then the Royal College of Art
in London. He graduated with a Silver Medal (then the highest order).
In 1940 he commenced his career as a freelance illustrator at the British Museum (Nat. Hist.). To avoid the disruption of the London Blitz during World War II he moved to Letchworth
at the invitation of a colleague, Frederick Wallace Edwards
. Edwards died shortly afterwards, but had put Smith in touch with James Edward Collin
, for whom he produced 950 illustrations for the latter’s book on British empididae
. The book was eventually published in 1961.
Smith also collaborated with Dame Miriam Rothschild
illustrating her book: Fleas, Flukes and Cuckoos (Rothschild and Clay, 1952). This led to him illustrating, with over 1000 drawings, An Illustrated Catalogue of the Rothschild Collection of Fleas (Siphonaptera) in the British Museum (Natural History), an enormous work of 5 large volumes published between 1953 and 1971.
His work illustrated over 60 books, pamphlets and reports in addition to other freelance work for magazines.
In 1960 he became a member of staff of the British Museum (Nat. Hist.) as the first (and possibly the last) insect illustrator to be employed in the Department of Entomology.
Smith's last major undertaking was the illustration of a two volume work, British Tortricoid Moths
, co-authoring with J. D. Bradley and W. G. Tremewan. However before the publication of the book he had retired to Shaftesbury
, Dorset. He continued to produce art work up to a few weeks before his death.
Arthur Smith married Margaret Eagle in 1940 and they produced 3 children, one of which predeceased them in 1978.
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
. He was born in the village of Eastburn, between Skipton
Skipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
and Keighley
Keighley
Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth...
in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
During his youth he developed a keen interest in natural history from walks on the York Moors. At 15 he attended Keighley College of Arts and Crafts and then the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
in London. He graduated with a Silver Medal (then the highest order).
In 1940 he commenced his career as a freelance illustrator at the British Museum (Nat. Hist.). To avoid the disruption of the London Blitz during World War II he moved to Letchworth
Letchworth
Letchworth Garden City, commonly known as Letchworth, is a town and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England. The town's name is taken from one of the three villages it surrounded - all of which featured in the Domesday Book. The land used was first purchased by Quakers who had intended to farm the...
at the invitation of a colleague, Frederick Wallace Edwards
Frederick Wallace Edwards
Frederick Wallace Edwards FRS , was an English entomologist who specialised in Diptera....
. Edwards died shortly afterwards, but had put Smith in touch with James Edward Collin
James Edward Collin
James Edward Collin was an English entomologist who specialised in Diptera.He was the author of Empididae. British Flies, Volume 6. University Press, Cambridge...
, for whom he produced 950 illustrations for the latter’s book on British empididae
Empididae
Empididae is a family of flies with over 3,000 described species occurring worldwide, but the majority are found in the Holarctic. They are mainly predatory flies like most of their relatives in the Empidoidea, and exhibit a wide range of forms but are generally small to medium sized, non-metallic...
. The book was eventually published in 1961.
Smith also collaborated with Dame Miriam Rothschild
Miriam Rothschild
Dame Miriam Louisa Rothschild DBE, FRS was a British natural scientist and author with contributions to zoology, entomology, and botany.-Early life:...
illustrating her book: Fleas, Flukes and Cuckoos (Rothschild and Clay, 1952). This led to him illustrating, with over 1000 drawings, An Illustrated Catalogue of the Rothschild Collection of Fleas (Siphonaptera) in the British Museum (Natural History), an enormous work of 5 large volumes published between 1953 and 1971.
His work illustrated over 60 books, pamphlets and reports in addition to other freelance work for magazines.
In 1960 he became a member of staff of the British Museum (Nat. Hist.) as the first (and possibly the last) insect illustrator to be employed in the Department of Entomology.
Smith's last major undertaking was the illustration of a two volume work, British Tortricoid Moths
British Tortricoid Moths
British Tortricoid Moths is a two-volume publication by J. D. Bradley, W. G. Tremewan and Arthur Smith, published by the Ray Society. It is the standard work on the tortricoid moths of Britain....
, co-authoring with J. D. Bradley and W. G. Tremewan. However before the publication of the book he had retired to Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury is a town in Dorset, England, situated on the A30 road near the Wiltshire border 20 miles west of Salisbury. The town is built 718 feet above sea level on the side of a chalk and greensand hill, which is part of Cranborne Chase, the only significant hilltop settlement in Dorset...
, Dorset. He continued to produce art work up to a few weeks before his death.
Arthur Smith married Margaret Eagle in 1940 and they produced 3 children, one of which predeceased them in 1978.