Overview

An exquisite facsimile edition of a turn-of-the-century illustrated children's ABC of animals. This charming volume is a facsimile of a children's ABC of animals first published in 1899. Commissioned by Glasgow publisher Blackie & Son, it contains a short description and a full-page grisaille drawing for each animal, beginning with A for armadillo and ending with Z for zebra, with vignettes accompanying each letter of the alphabet. It was the first publication by Carton Moore Park, who specialized in animal subjects, and whose artistic style was strongly influenced by Japonisme. The quirky drawings, with the modern-looking crops and close-up perspective, made the book stand out from all other alphabets of the day. The plate of the hippopotamus, for example, conveys the great bulk of the animal by forcing it up against the frame, while the image of the bat has flying almost in the reader's face. The picture of the leopard is one of several plates that reveal Moore Park's interest in Japanese art. When the book was published, contemporary critics acclaimed the artist's strong handling and accurate anatomical knowledge, as well as his profound appreciation of the habits and movements of the animals depicted and his close sympathy with his subjects. One wrote that, 'It is certainly the best book of the kind we have ever seen.' A hundred and twenty years after it was first published, this exquisite rediscovered book - very much of its moment but modern in spirit - will enchant and educate a new generation of children. Animals included: A for Armadillo • B for Bear • C for Cat • D for Dromedary • E for Elephant • F for Fox • G for Guinea-Pig • H for Hippopotamus • I for Ibex • J for Jackal • K for Kangaroo • L for Leopard • M for Mice • N for Nylghau • O for Otter • P for Porcupine • Q for Quagga • R for Rabbit • S for Sheep • T for Tiger • U for Unicorn • V for Vampire • W for Weasel • X for two Extraordinary Animals (Anteater and Ornithorynchus) • Y for Yak • Z for Zebra

Full Product Details

9781908970466

Table of Contents

Reviews

Author Information

Carton Moore Park (1877-1956) was a British painter, illustrator and teacher, born in Scotland. He studies at the Glasgow School of Art between 1893 and 1897. During the 1890s, he was best known for his illustrations of animals, which appeared in Glasgow Weekly Citizen and Saint Mungo . His illustrated books were An Alphabet of Animals , Book of Birds and A Book of Elfin Rhymes . He lived in London until 1910, when he emigrated to New York, where he spent the rest of his life.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available