Thomas Crane (1843–1903) facts for kids

Thomas Crane (born 1843, died 1903) was an English artist. He was famous for illustrating colorful children's books and designing beautiful greeting cards. His work often featured pretty flower designs. He also worked as an art director at a company called Marcus Ward & Co..

Life Story

Thomas Crane was the oldest son of Thomas Crane Senior, who was a painter. His mother was Marie Crane. His father's artistic skills influenced young Thomas and his younger brother, Walter Crane. Walter later became a very famous illustrator of children's books.

Thomas went to school in Torquay. After school, he worked as a lawyer for a short time. Then he worked at the General Post Office before deciding to become a full-time artist. In the 1860s and 1870s, he designed covers for books. Later, he became the director of design for Marcus Ward & Co. in London. He helped design their shop and oversaw the creation of many Christmas cards and books. He even illustrated some of them himself.

While Thomas Crane was the art director, Marcus Ward & Co. published popular works by his brother Walter Crane and another famous artist, Kate Greenaway. The Christmas cards from Marcus Ward were known for being very high quality. People even collected them in the 1800s! An art expert named Gleeson White said that Thomas Crane's designs and supervision made these cards so popular. He mentioned that the cards had beautiful borders and backs, and even the words were designed to match the pictures. The colors used were also very special and pleasing.

Crane was well-known for his decorative artwork, especially his floral designs. He worked with his cousin, Ellen Elizabeth Houghton, and John G. Sowerby to create popular picture books for children. Books like At Home (1881), Abroad (1882), and At Home Again (1883) were called "among the loveliest books ever produced" by a librarian named Roger Dixon.

Thomas Crane also designed patterns for the Royal School of Art Needlework. This was part of a movement to bring back beautiful embroidery. Other famous artists like William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones also worked on this project. Thomas and his brother Walter also drew pictures for books written by their sister, Lucy Crane. Later in his life, Thomas Crane returned to painting landscapes. Some of his landscape paintings were shown at the Royal Academy of Arts.

Thomas Crane became ill and passed away on May 27, 1903, when he was 59 years old. He was buried in London at Kensal Green Cemetery.

Books Illustrated by Thomas Crane

Here are some books that Thomas Crane designed or illustrated:

Published by Marcus Ward & Co.

• Art Embroidery: a Treatise on the Revived Practice of Decorative Needlework (1878) by Mary S. Lockwood & Elizabeth Glaister.
• At Home (1881) with J. G. Sowerby
• Abroad (1882) with Ellen Houghton
• At Home Again (1883) with Eliza Keary & J. G. Sowerby
• London Town (1883) with Ellen Houghton
• Calendar of the Months (1884) with Kate Greenway
• Holy Christmas (1896) with Georgie Gaskin

Published by Other Companies

• Art and the Formation of Taste (1882) by Lucy Crane. Macmillan & Co.

Gallery

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  Embroidery design (chrysanthemums) for a tidy or chair-back

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  Embroidery design (lilacs) for a cushion

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  Embroidery design for a tea-table cloth

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  End paper design for London Town

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  A New Year's greeting card