Edward Ardizzone: Artist & Illustrator – Gabriel White (1979)
This authoritative monograph, written by Gabriel White, celebrates the life and work of Edward Ardizzone (1900–1979), the beloved British artist whose warm, lively illustrations defined mid-20th-century children’s literature and wartime reportage. White, a close friend and admirer, traces Ardizzone’s career from his early pen-and-ink sketches of London pubs and docks to his iconic “Tim” series (Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain) and his poignant World War II drawings as an official war artist.
The book showcases Ardizzone’s signature style—loose, expressive lines, soft watercolor washes, and a knack for capturing intimate, storytelling moments. White’s text delves into Ardizzone’s creative process, his collaborations with authors like Eleanor Farjeon and Robert Graves, and his influence on illustrators like Quentin Blake.
Rich with full-color plates, personal photographs, and preliminary sketches, this volume is both a tribute and a critical study of an artist who believed “illustration should be as natural as breathing.”
“A toast to the man who made the ordinary magical—and the magical feel like home.”
The definitive Ardizzone biography; first editions are collector’s items.
