Ebenezer Landells
Encyclopedia
Ebenezer Landells was an English
wood-engraver, illustrator, and magazine proprietor.
Born in Newcastle, Landells was apprenticed to the wood-engraver Thomas Bewick
. In 1829 he moved to London, and before long managed to start his own engraving workshop. After attempting a short-lived fashion journal, Cosmorama, he joined with the journalist Henry Mayhew
and the printer William Last to found Punch
in 1841. Initial difficulties forced Landells to sell his one-third share to the publishers Bradbury and Evans: after the new owners replaced Landells with Joseph Swain as engraving chief, Landells responded with a pamphlet A Word with Punch (1847).
Herbert Ingrams consulted Landells about launching his illustrated weekly Illustrated London News
in 1842: after a commission to sketch Victoria's first visit to Scotland
that year, Landells became the paper's first artist correspondent and continued to engrave for the paper until his death.
Landells was also involved in several other magazines: the less successful Illuminated Magazine (1843-5), Great Gun (1844, in imitation of Punch), the Lady's Newspaper (1847–63, after which incorporated in the Queen
), Diogenes (1853, another attempt to imitate Punch), and the Illustrated Inventor. Responding to the growth in the children's book market, he wrote and illustrated several books for children: Boy's Own Toy-Maker (1858), Girl's Own Toy-Maker (1859), and Illustrated Paper Model Maker (1860).
Landells "made a unique contribution to the development of the illustrated magazine in the nineteenth century. He provided the link between Bewick's inspirational use of wood-engraving for artistic purposes and the use of the same technology for the mass market."
Landells Road in London's East Dulwich
is purported to be named after Ebeneezer Landells.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
wood-engraver, illustrator, and magazine proprietor.
Born in Newcastle, Landells was apprenticed to the wood-engraver Thomas Bewick
Thomas Bewick
Thomas Bewick was an English wood engraver and ornithologist.- Early life and apprenticeship :Bewick was born at Cherryburn House in the village of Mickley, in the parish of Ovingham, Northumberland, England, near Newcastle upon Tyne on 12 August 1753...
. In 1829 he moved to London, and before long managed to start his own engraving workshop. After attempting a short-lived fashion journal, Cosmorama, he joined with the journalist Henry Mayhew
Henry Mayhew
Henry Mayhew was an English social researcher, journalist, playwright and advocate of reform. He was one of the two founders of the satirical and humorous magazine Punch, and the magazine's joint-editor, with Mark Lemon, in its early days...
and the printer William Last to found Punch
Punch (magazine)
Punch, or the London Charivari was a British weekly magazine of humour and satire established in 1841 by Henry Mayhew and engraver Ebenezer Landells. Historically, it was most influential in the 1840s and 50s, when it helped to coin the term "cartoon" in its modern sense as a humorous illustration...
in 1841. Initial difficulties forced Landells to sell his one-third share to the publishers Bradbury and Evans: after the new owners replaced Landells with Joseph Swain as engraving chief, Landells responded with a pamphlet A Word with Punch (1847).
Herbert Ingrams consulted Landells about launching his illustrated weekly Illustrated London News
Illustrated London News
The Illustrated London News was the world's first illustrated weekly newspaper; the first issue appeared on Saturday 14 May 1842. It was published weekly until 1971 and then increasingly less frequently until publication ceased in 2003.-History:...
in 1842: after a commission to sketch Victoria's first visit to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
that year, Landells became the paper's first artist correspondent and continued to engrave for the paper until his death.
Landells was also involved in several other magazines: the less successful Illuminated Magazine (1843-5), Great Gun (1844, in imitation of Punch), the Lady's Newspaper (1847–63, after which incorporated in the Queen
Queen (magazine)
Queen magazine was a British society publication established by Samuel Beeton in 1861. In 1958, the magazine was sold to Jocelyn Stevens, who dropped the prefix "The" and used it as his vehicle to represent the younger side of the British Establishment, sometimes referred to as the "Chelsea Set"...
), Diogenes (1853, another attempt to imitate Punch), and the Illustrated Inventor. Responding to the growth in the children's book market, he wrote and illustrated several books for children: Boy's Own Toy-Maker (1858), Girl's Own Toy-Maker (1859), and Illustrated Paper Model Maker (1860).
Landells "made a unique contribution to the development of the illustrated magazine in the nineteenth century. He provided the link between Bewick's inspirational use of wood-engraving for artistic purposes and the use of the same technology for the mass market."
Landells Road in London's East Dulwich
East Dulwich
East Dulwich is a district of South London, England in the London Borough of Southwark. It forms the eastern one third of Dulwich, with the Dulwich Wood area, Dulwich Village and West Dulwich to its South and West making up the remaining two thirds...
is purported to be named after Ebeneezer Landells.
External links
- Parlour Magic by Ebenezer Landells is freely accessible with full page images and full text searching in the University of Florida Digital CollectionsUniversity of Florida Digital CollectionsThe University of Florida Digital Collections are supported by the University of Florida Digital Library Center in the George A. Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida. The University of Florida Digital Collections comprise a constantly growing collection of digital resources from the...
- The Boy's Own Toy-maker: a Practical Illustrated Guide to the Useful Employment of Leisure Hours by Ebenezer Landells is freely accessible with full page images and full text searching in the University of Florida Digital CollectionsUniversity of Florida Digital CollectionsThe University of Florida Digital Collections are supported by the University of Florida Digital Library Center in the George A. Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida. The University of Florida Digital Collections comprise a constantly growing collection of digital resources from the...