Harold Nelson
Encyclopedia
Harold Edward Hughes Nelson (22 May 1871 – 25 February 1948) was an artist, illustrator
, designer of bookplates, advertisements and postage stamps, etcher
and engraver on copper, and lecturer.
and the Central School of Arts and Design
- at the latter under Luke Taylor. He lived in London for most of his life - mainly in Lambeth
and Clapham
- then Brockenhurst
(in Hampshire
), and Carshalton
(in SW London) between 1902-1906.
Nelson was strongly influenced by Albrecht Durer
and William Morris
, and was prolific as a "black and white artist" specialising in medieval illustrations in a Pre-Raphaelite, Arts and Crafts
and Art Nouveau
style, often with elaborate ornamental borders.
Nelson’s provided illustrations for a number of books (see below) and also magazines such as: The Studio, The Graphic
(1915), The Sphere
, The Queen, Ladies Field, London Illustrated Weekly, Magazine of Art (designed a calendar for 1901), Royal Academy
Pictures (illustrated the cover, 1908), Old Colleges of Oxford, Aymer Vallance (illustrated the frontispiece, 1912), The Booklovers Magazine, The Bookplate, Cassells Magazine etc.
He is best known for his bookplates and heraldic designs
, the first one appearing in 1897, inspired by Durer. Commissioned by individuals and institutions, his designs were carefully matched to the name or character of the owner. The Studio (magazine), in a review of 1900, wrote of his work, "…bright and spirited, while in beauty of drawing it would be hard to find their equals among modern book-plates
.”
Although Nelson trained in the traditions of William Morris
, as a commercial artist he adapted his style to each new movement as it came along. In the 1920’s and 1930’s he worked in an Art Deco
style, his most notable designs being the Wembley Lion with a ‘setting sun’ motif on the British Empire
postage stamp
s of 1924 and 1925. However, his drawing of St George
and the Dragon for the £1 stamp for the Postal Union Congress, 1929, harks back to his earlier style.
Nelson illustrated several books including one authored by the Queen of Romania - "A Real Queen's Fairy Tales" under the pseudonym ‘Carmen Sylva’ (published in 1901). The illustrations were described in The Studio as "clever, powerful and beautiful".
His other commercial activities involved designing advertisements for Cadbury’s, Pears Soap
, Dewar's
and Selfridges
etc. He also produced artwork for numerous calendars.
Nelson was the Secretary of the Art Workers Guild
for a number of years and several examples of his work and a pencil portrait of Nelson by the artist Ester Borough Johnson (fl.
1896-1940) can still be seen at its headquarters in Queens Square, London. There, Nelson (and his wife Margaret) became friends with Charles Robert Ashbee
, the designer, author and entrepreneur who was influential in the English Arts and Crafts movement
. After Nelson’s death, his wife Margaret took over the duties as secretary of the Guild. Nelson was also a member of the Society of Graphic Art (SGA).
He died suddenly in 1948, aged 77, in Regent Street
, London - leaving a widow and a daughter, Winifrede.
Illustrations from "The Studio" magazine:
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
, designer of bookplates, advertisements and postage stamps, etcher
Etching
Etching is the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio in the metal...
and engraver on copper, and lecturer.
Life and work
Nelson was born in Dorchester a town where Nelsons had lived since the 18th century, one of four children. He studied at both the Lambeth School of ArtLambeth School of Art
Lambeth School of Art was founded in 1854 by William Gregory as a night school associated with the St. Mary the Less Church in London.-History:...
and the Central School of Arts and Design
Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design
Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London. The school has an outstanding international reputation, and is considered one of the world's leading art and design institutions...
- at the latter under Luke Taylor. He lived in London for most of his life - mainly in Lambeth
Lambeth
Lambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
and Clapham
Clapham
Clapham is a district in south London, England, within the London Borough of Lambeth.Clapham covers the postcodes of SW4 and parts of SW9, SW8 and SW12. Clapham Common is shared with the London Borough of Wandsworth, although Lambeth has responsibility for running the common as a whole. According...
- then Brockenhurst
Brockenhurst
Brockenhurst is a village situated in the New Forest, Hampshire, England. The New Forest is a national park and Brockenhurst is therefore surrounded by woodland that attracts thousands of visitors all year round. The nearby towns surrounding Brockenhurst are Lymington and Lyndhurst. Brockenhurst...
(in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
), and Carshalton
Carshalton
Carshalton is a suburban area of the London Borough of Sutton, England. It is located 10 miles south-southwest of Charing Cross, situated in the valley of the River Wandle, one of the sources of which is Carshalton Ponds in the centre of the village. The combined population of the five wards...
(in SW London) between 1902-1906.
Nelson was strongly influenced by Albrecht Durer
Albrecht Dürer
Albrecht Dürer was a German painter, printmaker, engraver, mathematician, and theorist from Nuremberg. His prints established his reputation across Europe when he was still in his twenties, and he has been conventionally regarded as the greatest artist of the Northern Renaissance ever since...
and William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
, and was prolific as a "black and white artist" specialising in medieval illustrations in a Pre-Raphaelite, Arts and Crafts
Arts and crafts
Arts and crafts comprise a whole host of activities and hobbies that are related to making things with one's hands and skill. These can be sub-divided into handicrafts or "traditional crafts" and "the rest"...
and Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
style, often with elaborate ornamental borders.
Nelson’s provided illustrations for a number of books (see below) and also magazines such as: The Studio, The Graphic
The Graphic
The Graphic was a British weekly illustrated newspaper, first published on 4 December 1869 by William Luson Thomas's company Illustrated Newspapers Limited....
(1915), The Sphere
The Sphere
The Sphere is a large metallic sculpture by German sculptor Fritz Koenig, currently displayed in Battery Park, New York City, that once stood in the middle of Austin J. Tobin Plaza, the area between the World Trade Center towers in Manhattan...
, The Queen, Ladies Field, London Illustrated Weekly, Magazine of Art (designed a calendar for 1901), Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
Pictures (illustrated the cover, 1908), Old Colleges of Oxford, Aymer Vallance (illustrated the frontispiece, 1912), The Booklovers Magazine, The Bookplate, Cassells Magazine etc.
He is best known for his bookplates and heraldic designs
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
, the first one appearing in 1897, inspired by Durer. Commissioned by individuals and institutions, his designs were carefully matched to the name or character of the owner. The Studio (magazine), in a review of 1900, wrote of his work, "…bright and spirited, while in beauty of drawing it would be hard to find their equals among modern book-plates
Bookplate
A bookplate, also known as ex-librīs [Latin, "from the books of..."], is usually a small print or decorative label pasted into a book, often on the inside front cover, to indicate its owner...
.”
Although Nelson trained in the traditions of William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
, as a commercial artist he adapted his style to each new movement as it came along. In the 1920’s and 1930’s he worked in an Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style, his most notable designs being the Wembley Lion with a ‘setting sun’ motif on the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
s of 1924 and 1925. However, his drawing of St George
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
and the Dragon for the £1 stamp for the Postal Union Congress, 1929, harks back to his earlier style.
Nelson illustrated several books including one authored by the Queen of Romania - "A Real Queen's Fairy Tales" under the pseudonym ‘Carmen Sylva’ (published in 1901). The illustrations were described in The Studio as "clever, powerful and beautiful".
His other commercial activities involved designing advertisements for Cadbury’s, Pears Soap
Pears soap
Pears transparent soap is a brand of soap first produced and sold in 1789 by Andrew Pears at a factory just off Oxford Street in London, England. It was the world's first transparent soap. Under the stewardship of Thomas J. Barratt, A. & F. Pears Ltd. company initiated a number of innovations in...
, Dewar's
Dewar's
Dewar's is a brand of blended Scotch whisky.-History:The Dewar's whisky brand was created by John Dewar, Sr. in 1846. Under the control of his two sons, John A. Dewar Jr. and Thomas "Tommy" Dewar , the brand expanded to become a global market by 1896...
and Selfridges
Selfridges
Selfridges, AKA Selfridges & Co, is a chain of high end department stores in the United Kingdom. It was founded by Harry Gordon Selfridge. The flagship store in London's Oxford Street is the second largest shop in the UK and was opened on 15 March 1909.More recently, three other stores have been...
etc. He also produced artwork for numerous calendars.
Nelson was the Secretary of the Art Workers Guild
Art Workers Guild
The Art Workers Guild or Art-Workers' Guild is an organisation established in 1884 by a group of British architects associated with the ideas of William Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement. The guild promoted the 'unity of all the arts', denying the distinction between fine and applied art...
for a number of years and several examples of his work and a pencil portrait of Nelson by the artist Ester Borough Johnson (fl.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1896-1940) can still be seen at its headquarters in Queens Square, London. There, Nelson (and his wife Margaret) became friends with Charles Robert Ashbee
Charles Robert Ashbee
Charles Robert Ashbee was an English designer and entrepreneur who was a prime mover of the Arts and Crafts movement that took its craft ethic from the works of John Ruskin and its co-operative structure from the socialism of William Morris.-Early life:He was the son of businessman and erotic...
, the designer, author and entrepreneur who was influential in the English Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
. After Nelson’s death, his wife Margaret took over the duties as secretary of the Guild. Nelson was also a member of the Society of Graphic Art (SGA).
He died suddenly in 1948, aged 77, in Regent Street
Regent Street
Regent Street is one of the major shopping streets in London's West End, well known to tourists and Londoners alike, and famous for its Christmas illuminations...
, London - leaving a widow and a daughter, Winifrede.
Books illustrated by Nelson
- La Motte Fouque. Undine and Aslauga's Knight (George Newnes Ltd., London, 1901).
- Carmen Sylva. A Real Queen's Fairy Tales (Davis and Company, Chicago, 1901).
- Harold Nelson. Harold Nelson: his book of book-plates consisting of 24 original designs. (Edinburgh, Otto Schulze & Company, 1904).
- Harold Nelson. Reproductions of twenty-five designs for book plates.(Otto Schulze & Co., 1910).
- Harold Nelson. Bookplates by Harold Nelson (B.T. Batsford, Ltd. 1929).
- Harold Nelson. The noble birth and gallant achievements of that remarkable outlaw Robin Hood : together with a true account of the many merry & extravagant exploits he play'd, in twelve several stories, newly collected into one volume by an ingenious antiquvary. (O Schulze & company, 1906).
- Harold Nelson. Three Famous English Romances (Otto Schulz & Co., 1913)
- William J. ThomsWilliam ThomsWilliam John Thoms was a British writer credited with coining the term "folklore" in the 1840s. Thoms's investigation of folklore and myth led to a later career of debunking longevity myths...
. The Gallant Atchievements of Robin Hood; The Famous History of Friar Bacon; The Romance of Robert The Devill (Otto Schulze and Co., 1910). - William J. ThomsWilliam ThomsWilliam John Thoms was a British writer credited with coining the term "folklore" in the 1840s. Thoms's investigation of folklore and myth led to a later career of debunking longevity myths...
. Early English Prose Romances (Schulze & Co., 1904) - Wiggin, Kate Douglas & Smith, Nora Archibald (eds). The Talking Beasts : A Book of Fable Wisdom (Doubleday Page & Co., 1911).
- Various, The British Girl’s Annual 1917 (Cassell, 1916).
- Various. The Bookplate Magazine - Nos 1, 2, 3 & 5. (The Morland Press, 1919–1920).
- James Guthrie (Editor). The Bookplate. Being no.3 of the Journal of The English Bookplate Society (The Pear Tree Press, 1921).
- Alfred Fowler, (Editor). The Bookplate Annual for 1922 & 1923. (self-published 1922 & 1923).
Illustrations from "The Studio" magazine:
- White, Gleeson. Modern Bookplates and their Designers. (The Studio, Special Winter Number, 1898–1899)
- Charles Holme (Ed.) Modern Pen Drawings : European and American. (The Studio, London, 1901).
- The Studio Magazine. Vol 39 (pp 349, 351);