Archibald Webb facts for kids

John Archibald Webb (1866–1947) was a talented British artist. He was a painter and illustrator who brought over 150 books to life with his drawings. He was especially known for illustrating exciting adventure stories for boys.

Meet Archibald Webb: An Artist's Story

Archibald Webb was a British painter and illustrator. He was born in Kensington, London, on February 19, 1866. He lived until January 23, 1947. He became famous for drawing pictures in many books, especially adventure tales for young readers.

Why Are There So Many Archibald Webbs?

It can be a bit confusing because there were actually three artists named Archibald Webb!

• One was his grandfather, Archibald Webb (1792–1883), who painted mostly ocean scenes.
• Another was Archibald Bertram Webb (1887–1944), who made wood engravings and posters. He moved to Australia.
• Our Archibald Webb, John Archibald Webb (1866–1947), is the one this article is about. He was the grandson of the first Archibald Webb.

To tell them apart, our Archibald Webb often signed his work as arch webb. Sometimes, he just used aw inside a small box. This helped people know which artist created the work.

His Early Life and Family

Archibald Webb's father died when he was only three years old. After that, his uncle, James Webb, adopted him. Both his uncle and his grandfather were well-known artists. It's very likely they taught him how to paint and draw. Some of his first paintings showed scenes from Holland, like "Evening in Dordrecht, Holland."

In 1889, Archibald married Florence Charlotte Daniels. They were both 23. They had five children: Florence, Henry, Robert, and Archibald. All his children grew up and lived longer than their parents.

Archibald Webb's Amazing Work

Archibald Webb started showing his art in London when he was just 18 years old in 1884. He became a member of the Royal Society of British Artists in 1890. This allowed him to use "RBA" after his name, and he sometimes signed his paintings "Arch Webb RBA."

He began illustrating books in the mid-1890s. One of his first big projects was drawing pictures for a new edition of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. This book was praised for its beautiful printing and illustrations. He also worked on a simpler version of Robinson Crusoe for younger children.

Pictures by Archibald Webb

Here are some examples of his illustrations from the book Roger Willoughby: a Story of the Times of Benbow:

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  At length the sun went down.

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  The strangers rushed up

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  The Dragoons fired

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  He scrambled aboard

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  He hurried back

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  A stab of a pike

Authors He Illustrated

Archibald Webb was a very popular choice for boys' adventure stories. He illustrated about 150 books for many different authors. Some of the famous writers he worked with include:

• R. M. Ballantyne, who wrote many adventure stories.
• F. S. Brereton, known for tales of heroism.
• Harry Collingwood, who often wrote nautical adventures.
• James Fenimore Cooper, famous for frontier stories.
• Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe.
• G. A. Henty, a prolific writer of historical adventure.
• W. H. G. Kingston, another popular adventure writer.
• Frederick Marryat, a Royal Navy officer who wrote adventure books.
• E. Nesbit, known for The Railway Children.
• Anna Sewell, who wrote Black Beauty.
• Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island.
• H. G. Wells, a pioneer of science fiction.

He also drew for popular magazines like Chums, The Boy's Own Paper, and The Strand Magazine.

Later Life and Legacy

Archibald Webb continued to work as an artist for many years. He passed away at his home in Hackney, London, on January 23, 1947, at the age of 80. His illustrations continue to be enjoyed in many classic children's books today.