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Walter Crane. (1845-1915)  

Preparatory Drawing for 'Scottish Widows' Calendar c.1890. 

The Month of July

 Image: 24x 14cm. Framed

(Reference: 604iv) Price: £775

 

Commissioned by The Scottish Widows' Fund Life Assurance Society, Edinburgh

English Illustrator, painter and designer.  Walter Crane was the son of the portrait painter Thomas Crane.  Served as apprentice, (1859-62), to the wood engraver, W.J. Linton in London.  He studied works by the Old Masters, Japanese Prints and was heavily influenced by the Pre-Raphelites.  Crane became first Director of Manchester School of Art, (1893-96), then Reading College and finally Principal of the Royal College of Art, London, (1898-99).  He worked with William Morris in 1894 on the page decorations of The Story of the Glittering Plain, Kelmscott Press.  Most influential as an Illustrator, particularly employing techniques from Japanese Prints and as a leading light in the 'Arts & Crafts' Movement.  

Provenance: From the collection of the artist to his son, Lionel F. Crane. 

Fine Art Society, Bond Street, London.

This work is dedicated to the month of July.

Being an artist's sketch, it has the rawness of the artist's first thoughts and inspirations.  

N.B. any unevenness in the colour of the paper/mount is due to the reflections of overhead branches, as this photograph was taken outside and the picture is glazed.

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