William Biscombe Gardner
Encyclopedia
William Biscombe Gardner (1847 - 1919) was an English painter and engraver
. Working in both watercolour and oils, he exhibited widely in London in the late 19th century at venues such as the Royal Academy
and the Grosvenor Gallery
. From 1896 he lived at Thirlestane Court.
He illustrated a number of books featuring the British landscape (see below), notably "Kent", "Canterbury", and "The Peak Country". He also drew scenes from the Welsh Elan Valley
in the 1890s, before it was flooded to form the Elan Valley Reservoirs
, which appeared in two books by Grant Allen (see "illustrated Books" below).
However, it was as a fine wood engraver that he was mainly known, providing illustrations (sometimes large) for English magazines of the day such as the Pall Mall Gazette
, Illustrated London News
, English Illustrated Magazine
and The Magazine of Art
. He was a firm advocate of traditional wood engraving
considering it to be the most versatile in comparison to metal engraving
, etching
or "process illustration".
Wood engraving
Wood engraving is a technique in printmaking where the "matrix" worked by the artist is a block of wood. It is a variety of woodcut and so a relief printing technique, where ink is applied to the face of the block and printed by using relatively low pressure. A normal engraving, like an etching,...
. Working in both watercolour and oils, he exhibited widely in London in the late 19th century at venues such as the 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...
and the Grosvenor Gallery
Grosvenor Gallery
The Grosvenor Gallery was an art gallery in London founded in 1877 by Sir Coutts Lindsay and his wife Blanche. Its first directors were J. Comyns Carr and Charles Hallé...
. From 1896 he lived at Thirlestane Court.
He illustrated a number of books featuring the British landscape (see below), notably "Kent", "Canterbury", and "The Peak Country". He also drew scenes from the Welsh Elan Valley
Elan Valley
The Elan Valley is a river valley situated to the west of Rhayader, in Powys, Wales, sometimes known as the "Welsh Lake District". It covers of lake and countryside....
in the 1890s, before it was flooded to form the Elan Valley Reservoirs
Elan Valley Reservoirs
The Elan Valley Reservoirs are a chain of man-made lakes and reservoirs in the Elan Valley in Powys, Mid Wales , using the rivers Elan and Claerwen...
, which appeared in two books by Grant Allen (see "illustrated Books" below).
However, it was as a fine wood engraver that he was mainly known, providing illustrations (sometimes large) for English magazines of the day such as the Pall Mall Gazette
Pall Mall Gazette
The Pall Mall Gazette was an evening newspaper founded in London on 7 February 1865 by George Murray Smith; its first editor was Frederick Greenwood...
, 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:...
, English Illustrated Magazine
English Illustrated Magazine
The English Illustrated Magazine was a monthly publication that ran for 359 issues between October 1883 and August 1913. Features included travel, topography, and a large amount of fiction and were contributed by writers such as Thomas Hardy, Henry James, Stanley J. Weyman and Max Pemberton...
and The Magazine of Art
The Magazine of Art
The Magazine of Art was an illustrated monthly British journal devoted to the visual arts, published from May 1878 to July 1904 in London and New York by Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co...
. He was a firm advocate of traditional wood engraving
Wood engraving
Wood engraving is a technique in printmaking where the "matrix" worked by the artist is a block of wood. It is a variety of woodcut and so a relief printing technique, where ink is applied to the face of the block and printed by using relatively low pressure. A normal engraving, like an etching,...
considering it to be the most versatile in comparison to metal engraving
Engraving
Engraving is the practice of incising a design on to a hard, usually flat surface, by cutting grooves into it. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or glass are engraved, or may provide an intaglio printing plate, of copper or another metal, for printing...
, etching
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...
or "process illustration".
Selected Paintings
- Apple Blossom.
- Chiddingstone from the corner of the churchyard.
- The Deserted Cottage, Penbury.
- A Game of Ball.
- Packing the Golden Hops.
- The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells.
- The Question of the Day.
- Their Old Home' Pembury nr Tunbridge Wells.
Illustrated Books
- Allen, Grant. Drowning for Liverpool : Lake Vyrnwy and the end of old LLanwyddyn, 1887-89.
- Allen, Grant. A submerged village - Llanwddyn (Mar 1890)
- Gardner, W. Biscombe. Dickens country - watercolours (London: Adam & Charles Black)
- Gardner, W. Biscombe. The garden of England; Kent by brush and Pen (J. Salmon Ltd, 1995).
- Morris, J E. The Peak Country (London: Adam & Charles Black, 1914).
- Shore, W. Teignmouth. Canterbury (Adam & Charles Black, April 1907).
- Shore, W. Teignmouth. Kent (Adam & Charles Black, 1907).
- Home, Gordon. Canterbury (A & C Black, 1911)
External links
- Biscombe Gardner - examples of reproductive engravings.
- Llanwddyn Church - original drawing.