About this lot
Description
§ Robert Gibbings (Irish 1889-1958)
Whale Hunt, probably an illustration from The Wreck of the Whale Ship Essex, Owen Chase, published by the Golden Cockerel Press, 1935
signed 'Robertgibbings' (lower right)
wood engraving, unframed
25.5 x 20cm (sheet)
Born in Cork in 1889, artist, sculptor, and author Robert Gibbings is widely regarded as one of the most influential and significant printmakers of the 20th century, notable both for his role as a founder member of the Society of Wood Engravers and for his work at the helm of the Golden Cockerel Press.
After a brief career as a commercial artist, in 1924, Gibbings took over as the owner and director of the Golden Cockerel Press. Under his auspices, the press became a pivotal vehicle for wood engraving, bringing the medium to the collective attention of the public. Of the 72 books produced in those nine years, 48 were illustrated with engravings. In addition to his prodigious talents as a wood engraver, Gibbings was also known as a hugely industrial writer, celebrated for his series of bestselling river books, notably Sweet Thames run Softly.
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