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Gordon Browne facts for kids

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Not to be confused with Gordon Brown.
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Gordon Frederick Browne
Drawing of Gordon Browne the British Illustrator in 1892
Gordon Browne in 1892
Born (1858-04-15)15 April 1858
Banstead, Surrey, England
Died 27 May 1932(1932-05-27) (aged 74)
Richmond, Surrey, England
Nationality British
Other names Signed illustrations GB
Occupation Illustrator and artist
Years active 1875 – 1932
Known for Illustrating children's books
Notable work
 The 552 illustrations and 32 full-page etchings he did for The Henry Irving Shakespear (1895)

Gordon Frederick Browne (born April 15, 1858 – died May 27, 1932) was a talented English artist. He became famous for illustrating many children's books in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Gordon Browne was very careful with his work. He made sure his drawings were always correct and detailed. He illustrated about six or seven books every year. Plus, he created many drawings for magazines!

Early Life

Gordon Browne was born in Banstead, England. His father, Hablot Knight Browne, was also a well-known book illustrator. His father was famous for illustrating books by Charles Dickens. Gordon went to private schools and then studied art at the Heatherley School of Fine Art. He also attended the South Kensington Schools. He always insisted on drawing from real life during his art studies.

Work

Browne mainly worked with watercolour paints and pen and ink. He was a member of important art groups like the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours (RI). He also helped start the Royal Society of British Artists (RBA).

Some people thought Gordon Browne started drawing for money when he was very young. This was because his father was sick. However, it's more likely that his first known drawings appeared in 1875. At that time, he would have been 17 years old.

Gordon Browne's first book illustrations were for The Day After the Holidays in 1875. This was a school story by Ascott R Hope. After this, he got many requests to illustrate books and magazines. He even drew some Christmas cards. He learned how to draw on wood, which led him to work with Blackie's, a London publisher. His first book for Blackie's was Facing Death: The Hero of the Vaughan Pit (1882) by G. A. Henty.

From the 1880s, Browne became one of Britain's busiest illustrators. He drew for many boys' stories and novels. It's believed he created around 3,660 images in total! Browne also wrote some books himself. He showed his artwork in many exhibitions, with over 200 pieces displayed during his life.

Book Illustration

Gordon Browne illustrated many books each year. He did a lot of research for his historical drawings. He collected real armour, helmets, pistols, daggers, swords, uniforms, and even saddles. When he drew, he would look at these items. This helped him make sure his pictures of old clothes and weapons were very accurate.

He also made sure he understood the stories he was illustrating. He would read the text carefully, sometimes twice. This helped him find all the small details for his drawings. People knew how careful he was. Once, a writer named George Bernard Shaw even asked if Browne's drawing or the story's text was correct about a character!

Example of Book Illustration

Browne illustrated fourteen novels by G. A. Henty. This included the first seven books published by Blackie and Son. One of these was "Facing Death: The Hero of the Vaughan Pit: A Tale of the Coal Mines." It was first published in 1882. The first version had six drawings by Gordon Browne. A second version came out the same year with eight illustrations, which you can see here.

  • 01 Bulldog finds a friend-Illustration by Gordon Browne for Facing Death by G A Henty

    Bulldog finds a friend

  • 02 In the old shaft - will he be saved-Illustration by Gordon Browne for Facing Death by G A Henty

    In the old shaft - will he be saved

  • 03 Nelly's first lesson-Illustration by Gordon Browne for Facing Death by G A Henty

    Nelly's first lesson

  • 04 a life and death struggle-Illustration by Gordon Browne for Facing Death by G A Henty

    A life and death struggle

  • 05 Jack is victorious-Illustration by Gordon Browne for Facing Death by G A Henty

    Jack is victorious

  • 06 The new school mistress-Illustration by Gordon Browne for Facing Death by G A Henty

    The new school mistress

  • 07 After the first explosion - the search party-Illustration by Gordon Browne for Facing Death by G A Henty

    After the first explosion - the search party

  • 08 saved-Illustration by Gordon Browne for Facing Death by G A Henty

    Saved

Self-Illustrated Books

Gordon Browne also wrote and illustrated several books for young children. He used the pen name A. Nobody for these. The pictures in these books were simpler, perfect for very young readers. Here's an example of his work from one of these books.

  • Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 001

    Front Cover

  • Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 002

    Frontispiece

  • Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 003

    Title page

  • Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 004

    Page 1

  • Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 005

    Page 2

  • Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 006

    Page 3

  • Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 007

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  • Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 008

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  • Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 009

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  • Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 010

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  • Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 011

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  • Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 012

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  • Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 013

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  • Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 014

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  • Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 015

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  • Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 024

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  • Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 025

    Back Cover

Magazine Illustration

Browne also drew for many different magazines. One example is the story The Sorceress of the Strand. This story appeared in The Strand Magazine in 1902 and 1903. Gordon Browne created many illustrations for this story, showing how much work went into magazine art.

Example of Magazine Illustration

  • Strand mag vol24--p 387--Sorceress of the Strand

    Do you want a match, sir?

  • Strand mag vol24--p 389--Sorceress of the Strand

    I am a beautifier

  • Strand mag vol24--p 391--Sorceress of the Strand

    This is my sanctum sanctorum

  • Strand mag vol24--p 393--Sorceress of the Strand

    Why are you afraid of her

  • Strand mag vol24--p 394--Sorceress of the Strand

    She bowed, and the peculiar look she had before given me flashed over her face

  • Strand mag vol24--p 396--Sorceress of the Strand

    She jumped up from the table

  • Strand mag vol24--p 397--Sorceress of the Strand

    I counsel you, Mr. Selby, to guard your life

  • Strand mag vol24--p 399--Sorceress of the Strand

    I had lost to him nearly £200,000!

  • Strand mag vol24--p 400--Sorceress of the Strand

    Vandeleur in an open fly dashed through

  • Strand mag vol24--p 505--Sorceress of the Strand

    Lady Kennedy told me all about it

  • Strand mag vol24--p 507--Sorceress of the Strand

    It must be done

  • Strand mag vol24--p 508--Sorceress of the Strand

    She is preparing to convulse society

  • Strand mag vol24--p 511--Sorceress of the Strand

    Forewarned is forearmed

  • Strand mag vol24--p 513--Sorceress of the Strand

    We quite understand each other, don't we, nurse?

  • Strand mag vol24--p 514--Sorceress of the Strand

    Madame wrote something on her neck

  • Strand mag vol24--p 516--Sorceress of the Strand

    What is it, little one?

  • Strand mag vol24--p 518--Sorceress of the Strand

    Rebecca Curt was standing in the middle of the room

  • Strand mag vol24--p 644--Sorceress of the Strand

    She treated her with a rare want of sympathy

  • Strand mag vol24--p 645--Sorceress of the Strand

    How kind of you to come

  • Strand mag vol24--p 646--Sorceress of the Strand

    He dashed headlong down

  • Strand mag vol24--p 648--Sorceress of the Strand

    You must not scold me

  • Strand mag vol24--p 650--Sorceress of the Strand

    You mean Madame Sara?

  • Strand mag vol24--p 652--Sorceress of the Strand

    A phlegmatic-looking man opened the door for us

  • Strand mag vol24--p 655--Sorceress of the Strand

    There in the moonlight...

  • Strand mag vol24--p 656--Sorceress of the Strand

    Either you are the spectre, or it is supernatural

  • Strand mag vol24--p 657--Sorceress of the Strand

    Beneath the window lay a dark, huddled heap

  • Strand mag vol25--p 068--Sorceress of the Strand

    Professor Pozzi entered

  • Strand mag vol25--p 070--Sorceress of the Strand

    You exceed the limits of propriety

  • Strand mag vol25--p 072--Sorceress of the Strand

    Ah! There are few women so kind

  • Strand mag vol25--p 073--Sorceress of the Strand

    Who would want to take my life?

  • Strand mag vol25--p 075--Sorceress of the Strand

    I will revenge myself on Madame to the last drop of my blood

  • Strand mag vol25--p 077--Sorceress of the Strand

    I am sorry to hear of his illness

  • Strand mag vol25--p 078--Sorceress of the Strand

    Are your operations for securing patent rights complete?

  • Strand mag vol25--p 080--Sorceress of the Strand

    He reeled and made a lunge forward

  • Strand mag vol25--p 198--Sorceress of the Strand

    It is a curious fact

  • Strand mag vol25--p 200--Sorceress of the Strand

    Don't look at me

  • Strand mag vol25--p 202--Sorceress of the Strand

    I observed a man

  • Strand mag vol25--p 204--Sorceress of the Strand

    I do not know envy Ali Khan his billet

  • Strand mag vol25--p 205--Sorceress of the Strand

    Heaven help me!

  • Strand mag vol25--p 207--Sorceress of the Strand

    Look closely at it if you will

  • Strand mag vol25--p 208--Sorceress of the Strand

    A man with a mask over his face approached her

  • Strand mag vol25--p 210--Sorceress of the Strand

    Two minutes later we were rushing through the night towards London

  • Strand mag vol25--p 280--Sorceress of the Strand

    Laura's old nurse thrust a note into his hand

  • Strand mag vol25--p 281--Sorceress of the Strand

    My friend, Sir Joseph Dixby

  • Strand mag vol25--p 282--Sorceress of the Strand

    You are certain you will not turn coward?

  • Strand mag vol25--p 283--Sorceress of the Strand

    She lashed the animal

  • Strand mag vol25--p 285--Sorceress of the Strand

    She sat still

  • Strand mag vol25--p 286--Sorceress of the Strand

    The smile faded from his face

  • Strand mag vol25--p 287--Sorceress of the Strand

    There is no help whatever in that direction

  • Strand mag vol25--p 289--Sorceress of the Strand

    The great Madame Sara

Death

Gordon Browne passed away on May 27, 1932. He died at his home in Richmond, Surrey, due to heart failure.

Legacy

Even though Gordon Browne was very talented, he didn't become as famous as some other artists of his time. This was partly because his work appeared in so many different, often cheaper, books. He wasn't known as the main artist for just one very famous author.

However, experts agree that Gordon Browne was one of the most important illustrators of his era. He was known for his energy, skill, and reliability. He created a huge amount of artwork. His drawings were always lively and very accurate. Children for many years loved the classic stories he illustrated. Many writers were very happy to have Gordon Browne illustrate their books. He was truly a gifted artist.

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