Design Series: Wyndham Payne

A new title in ACC Art Books' celebrated Design series, presenting and reviving the work of illustrator Wyndham Payne (1884-1974).

Wyndham Payne's career as an illustrator began in the early 1920s, gathering momentum with a series of book illustrations for renowned Charing Cross publisher Cyril Beaumont. Working in the tradition of Claud Lovat Fraser - and others - Payne nurtured a reputation for freedom of line, illustrating books, calendars, greetings cards and advertisements, often with toys - soldiers, model theatres, trains - as a subject. Aside from creating illustrations for the Beaumont Press, Payne was also commissioned by Oxford University Press and Hodder & Stoughton, among others. For The Bodley Head, he designed covers for Agatha Christie titles, whilst his celebrated jacket for The Wind in the Willows was produced for Methuen.

Wyndham Payne presents a detailed survey of the artist's work: lino cuts, woodcuts, drawings in pen, watercolours, silhouette painting on glass, and later, when his health became too poor for commercial work, models - including automata - for his children and grandchildren. The book also includes a fulsome biography of the artist, covering his life and work.

Wyndham Payne includes a biography of the illustrator written by William Connolly, offering insight and analysis of his work. Much of the illustrative material for the book has been provided by Wyndham Payne's grandson, Paul, a ceramicist.