Gordon Browne Biography

Gordon Frederick Browne (1858-1932) was an English artist and a prolific illustrator of children's books in the late 19th century and early 20th century. He was a meticulous craftsman and went to a great deal of effort to ensure that his illustrations were accurate. He illustrated six or seven books a year in addition to a huge volume of magazine illustration.

He was born in Banstead, the younger son of notable book illustrator Hablot Knight Browne (who as "Phiz" illustrated books by Charles Dickens). He was privately educated and then studied art at the Heatherley School of Fine Art and South Kensington Schools. At Art School he insisted on only drawing from life.

Browne worked in watercolour and pen and ink. He was a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours (RI) and a founder member of the Royal Society of British Artists (RBA). Browne was an early member of the Society of Graphic Art and showed three works at their first exhibition in 1921.

The first book Browne illustrated was The Day After the Holidays (1875), a school story by Ascott R Hope. This gave rise to numerous commissions for books and contributions to periodicals. Among these was work for Aunt Judy's Magazine. He then drew several Christmas cards and took a course in drawing on wood. James Cooper, his tutor, introduced him to Blackie's, the London publishers, for whom he began to illustrate juvenile books. The first book he illustrated for Blackie was Facing Death: The Hero of the Vaughan Pit (1882) by G.A. Henty.

From the 1880s, Browne was one of Britain's most prolific illustrators. Houfe says that "Browne illustrated a truly amazing quantity of boys' stories, tales and novels". His total volume of work was enormous, estimated at c.3660 images for books and magazines. Browne also wrote himself. He exhibited his work extensively, with over 200 works exhibited during his life (a few of these may have been repeated at different venues).

Browne illustrated six or seven books a year. His historical research for his illustrations was painstaking. He assembled a collection of armour, helmets, pistols, daggers, swords, uniforms, and even saddles. When working, he would refer to these constantly to ensure his depictions of historic dress and arms were accurate. He took great care that he understood the text he was illustrating, reading the text first and then reading it again to identify the details of the scene to be illustrated.

Browne died on 27 May 1932 at his home at 4784 Upper Richmond Road in Richmond, Surrey. The cause of death was heart failure. His effects totalled £426 17s 9d.