An exhibition of never-before-seen original artwork from one of the 20th century’s greatest illustrators
Ernest Howard Shepard is one of the most significant illustrators of the 20th century, best known for his drawings of Winne the Pooh and The Wind in the Willows as well as his regular work as lead cartoonist for Punch.
EH Shepard: An Illustrator’s War is the first ever exhibition to show Shepard’s illustrations from the trenches during his time as a Royal Artillery officer in the First World War.
The exhibition brings together over 100 original artworks – many never seen before – including personal sketches from the pocket books Shepard kept throughout the war and unpublished correspondence between Shepard and his wife Florence, which he often illustrated with portraits and pictures of his sleeping quarters. It will also include personal items including his paintbox, articles of his uniform, his maps of the trenches and photographs from his family collection.
As well as recording his experiences Shepard continued to work as a commercial illustrator throughout the war – even while serving as an officer on the front line and taking part in the battles of the Somme and Passchendaele, where he was awarded a Military Cross for bravery.EH Shepard: An Illustrator’s War will feature work produced and sent back from the trenches for Punch and other publications.
Shepard’s skills as a draughtsman were also put to use during his service. He made precise topographical drawings for strategic use by his battery – including one that measures 1.5 metres long and depicts sites of battle in the Italian mountains.
All of this wartime work will be placed within the context of Shepard’s lifelong career in illustration, beginning with his early life and work. A proficient artist from an early age, as a young boy he mostly drew colonial battle scenes and scenes from theatrical productions. Both themes would remain important in his later work; he went on to draw real battles from observation, while the theatre remained a big influence on his later work as a political cartoonist (using the body and gesture to convey meaning).
By the time war broke out in 1914, he had established himself as a cartoonist and illustrator, and even after joining up he continued to produce cartoons, which displayed his characteristic light humour despite the horrific things he was witnessing.
Because of his work throughout the war, he slid comfortably into a career as an established illustrator on his return from the war in 1919. In the five years after returning he worked as a cartoonist at Punch magazine and illustrated the first Winnie the Pooh book. The exhibition features early rough sketches for Winnie the Pooh and illustrations for other books by authors including Kenneth Graeme and E.V. Lucas.
Colin McKenzie, House of Illustration’s director, said: “It is exactly one hundred years ago that a man who became one of our best loved illustrators volunteered for active military service. We are delighted to able to present, for the first time, a body of work that shows not just the way in which EH Shepard used his talents to provide humorous and wry observations for general consumption, but also the way in which he illustrated and recorded the world around him for his family and for the military.”
The exhibition at House of Illustration will coincide with the publication Shepard’s War by Michael O’Mara books on 1 October 2015.
EH Shepard: An Illustrator’s War
9 October 2015 - 24 January 2016
House of Illustration, 2 Granary Square, London N1C 4BH. Open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-6pm. Closed Mondays. Admission: £7/£5/£4. Information: 020 3696 2020.houseofillustration.org.uk. @illustrationHQ.
