Ionicus
Encyclopedia
Ionicus was the pen name
of Joshua Armitage (26 September 1913 – 1998), an English
illustrator
.
He is best-known for drawing the covers for a wide range of Penguin
editions of P. G. Wodehouse
, though he also contributed cartoons and drawings to Punch for more than 40 years, and provided cover designs and text illustrations for nearly 400 books in total.
he also contributed to the Admiralty-sponsored monthly magazine Ditty Box.
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
of Joshua Armitage (26 September 1913 – 1998), an English
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...
illustrator
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...
.
He is best-known for drawing the covers for a wide range of Penguin
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
editions of P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. Wodehouse
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE was an English humorist, whose body of work includes novels, short stories, plays, poems, song lyrics, and numerous pieces of journalism. He enjoyed enormous popular success during a career that lasted more than seventy years and his many writings continue to be...
, though he also contributed cartoons and drawings to Punch for more than 40 years, and provided cover designs and text illustrations for nearly 400 books in total.
Book Cover Art
Although best-known for his depiction of Wodehouse's idyllic England, Ionicus also drew covers for a number of well-known authors in other genres, such as the following:- Children's fantasy titles by Diana Wynne JonesDiana Wynne JonesDiana Wynne Jones was a British writer, principally of fantasy novels for children and adults, as well as a small amount of non-fiction...
, Charmed LifeCharmed Life (novel)Charmed Life is a 1977 novel by British children's author Diana Wynne Jones. It was the first book in the Chrestomanci series of novels to be published. The series name comes from the way the plots involve a series of powerful nine-lived enchanters who carry the title Chrestomanci...
and Witch WeekWitch WeekWitch Week is part of the Chrestomanci series of fantasy novels by Diana Wynne Jones. It was named a School Library Journal Book of the Year...
. - He also illustrated a volume of Grimm's Fairy Tales of The Heirloom Library published by Chanticleer Press Inc.
- Horror titles by Ronald Chetwynd-HayesRonald Chetwynd-HayesRonald Chetwynd-Hayes was an author, best known for his ghost stories. His first published work was the science fiction novel The Man From The Bomb in 1959...
, The King's Ghost, Tales From The Hidden World, and The Haunted Grange.
Wartime Art
During his wartime service in the British NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
he also contributed to the Admiralty-sponsored monthly magazine Ditty Box.