Woodcuts for Periodicals From the 1860s

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Ways Wood Engravings for Periodicals of the 1860s Can Help Understanding of Codes and Conduct of Magazine’s Readership
Introduction

Wood engraving can be referred to as the printmaking as well as the technique of letterpress printing in which the works of the artist incorporates the image or matrix of images into the wood block. An example of such British artists includes Arthur Wardle, William Edwin, Gustave Hille and Charles Murray. In reality, some woodcuts make use of the relief printing hence facilitating the artist to apply ink to the block surface besides print by use of relatively low pressure. On the contrary, it is imperative to note that ordinary engraving including etching uses matrix metal plate printed by use of the intaglio methods in that the ink fills the valleys. It is also essential to note that wood engravings deteriorate faster as compared to copper-plate engraving in addition to having white-on-black character. Towards the end of the 18th-century, wood engraving technique that differed from the earlier woodcuts was brought into existence by Thomas Bewick. Instead of using woodcarvings tools including Knives, Bewick made use of the graver thereby creating delicate lines that often lead to the creation of dark areas in the mixture. Wood engraving traditionally as used by British artist Gustave Hiller and other artist made use of the wood’s send grain, yet the earlier technique made use of the softer side grain. The resultant was an increased durability and hardness hence more detailed images. All in all wood- engraved blocks could be of importance on the conventional printing presses that were going through rapid automated improvement in the first quarter of the 19th century. Following the advances of the stereotype, the outcome was letting wood-engraving be reproduced onto metal thus be mass-produced for printer’s sales (Goldman 46). This paper analysis the ways via which wood engravings for periodicals of the 1860s can aid in the understanding of the codes and conduct of magazine’s readership.
Ways in which wood engravings for periodicals of 1860s can assist in understanding of the codes and conduct of magazine’s readership.

The picture above is a large wood engraving on the Frank Leslie’s modeled newspaper. The composition includes multiple of component blocks that were combined in forming a single image thereby dividing the work in amongst various engravers. It is imperative to note that the techniques of the modern wood engraving were developed towards the end of the 18th century and beginning of the 19th century taking into consideration of the work of Thomas Bewick. Model of the work of Thomas Bewick include the one illustrated below.

I
Thomas Bewick.

In the United States, the techniques were introduced by Alexander Anderson. By mid-19th century, there was the development of electrotyping which then could reproduce wood engraving on metal. Thus by making use of this method that involved a single wood-engraving, there was a mass production of the print shops for sale in the absence of retaining the original without wear. As shown below.

Fredrick Leighton Ramola.
Up to 1860, the working by the artist entailed engraving to paint or rather directly drawn on the block surface hence destroying the original artistic work by the engraver. Nevertheless, it is during the same year that Thomas Bolton invented the process of transferring a photograph onto the surface of the block as shown below (Backemeyer 31).

Moreover, it is imperative to note that engravers from French at the same time came up with a modified technique that led to the elimination of the cross-hatching (Houfer 26). Hence, facilitating the rendering of the white lines of different thickness and closeness to all the tonal gradations hat to some extends led to being broken into dots regarding areas that appeared darkest. The combination of the ‘photo on wood’ in line with the Bolton process as well as the increased technicality brought forward by the French school brought birth to wood engraving via a new application as means of replicating drawings using the water-color wash. This is opposed to line drawings besides actual photographing. A specific example can be illustrated using the Strand magazine. It is imperative to note that the improvement in the wood engraving process rendered to that kind of engraving to be obsolete. From a different perspective, it is imperative to note that less sophisticated form of magazines was able to endure in the trade catalogs and advertisements up to 1930s. Having encountered this kind of change, wood engraving it is own right had no option other than developing as a creativity form (Dalziel, George & Edward 91).

Edward Burne Jones.
Between the years 1855 and 1875, the period commonly referred to as ‘’golden decades’’, illustration by Hartley besides other knowledgeable players in the field in this considered of importance. Over 200 artists have over 1000 unbound engravings, about 300 preliminary drawings, original woodblock totaling 83 and about 500 volumes of bound that incorporates notable illustrated magazines. The periodicals of the 1860’s taking into consideration of the once a week, Cornhill, and Good words were the means of the publications for many sentimental poems and stories (Garfield 64).
These were illustrated by use of the pictures kept in melodramatic writing though drawn using the capable hands of the various known prominent artist. Week serials were very popular having one or two wood engraving that illustrates the emotional moment of the week’s story. The truth of the matter is that these stories had the same entreaty in line with the today television soap operas to the public that greatly depends on illustrated newspapers, books, and magazines for exclusively everyday entertainment. The expressed emotions were simple though intense and served the purpose of perhaps allowing restricted Victorian woman together with the child to enjoy thrilling world emotionally vicariously pictures and stories. The desire of the reader to associate with the emotions of the stories naturally led to more and more demands for illustrations realism. It was because of this need for realism that immediately as the photograph was able to replace the wood engraving technically as often done by the famous British artist Thomas Walshaw. However, during this period before the new invention of the final improvement appropriated the abode of wood engraving in the reproduction of illustrations and the inexpensive woodblocks facilitated for the prints designed by the well-fined artist in reaching the hands of the community in massive numbers. It is worth noting that during this period it was the weekly anticipation of finding wood engraving by John Gilbert in his Mother’s London journal that became the gateway of the Hartley to bring together his large gathering of pictures (Goldman 44).
This can further be brought to light by one the works of the Good words 1862 shown below.

Good word 1862.
The Collections of the Hartley together with his extensive of Victorian illustrations were shared with the majority following the turn of the century in, publications, consultative duties, and exhibitions. The cartoonist in punch’s first fifty years that was very important was John Tenniel. His images in that time included the public figures that include Queen Victoria, Disraeli, Gladstone and allegorical figures (Zatlin 98).

John Tenniel wood engraving cartoon for 1864 punch
During the 19th century, Harper’s weekly issues were prevalent because most of the engravings in every document contained the history of America from mid to late nineteenth century, and it helps in the understanding of the codes and conduct of the magazine’s readership. The documents mostly contained historical information that helped people to understand the events during that time (Pinwell 102). The engravings were made on time particularly during the Civil War. The process began by deploying the reporters and artists to the field. The renowned artists started as illustrators and sketched scenes they found in the battlefield and then dispatched for publication. For the artwork to be published, the images must have carved onto a wood block. It took a single engraver a substantial amount of time to carve the full print depending on the timeliness of every issue (Hughes 64). A concise idea was developed to ensure illustrations were provided within a short time. The illustrations were usually cut into two square inches, and every square was engraved onto distinct blocks of wood.
After dividing illustration into different parts, every section was assigned to one portion and workers performing as a team carved it as quick as possible. Following the completion of small blocks, they were screwed together to create the entire illustration and then the final engraver provided the final touches to ensure perfect alignment of the pieces (Backemeyer 36). The completed block of wood was utilized to stamp illustration onto the printed newspapers. Looking at the Harper’s engraving joining of the blocks of wood can be clearly seen. However, printing technology put to an end the efforts of engravings for Harpers as well as other illustrated periodicals.

The illustrative work of English artist Leighton further aids in understanding the codes and conduct of the magazine’s readership. He developed an extensive collection of illustrations (Leighton 49). For instance, when he visited Russia, he toured different museums and art galleries. Edward made notes on the artworks he saw during that time. He developed a great interest in woodcut illustrations and discovered a variety of Victorian periodicals which helped him to admire the artistic work that helps to understand the codes and conduct of the magazine’s readership. The collection momentum of artwork was fuelled by the woodcut illustrations he saw that were produced by some of the leading figures. Most of the images are extracted from the magazines of the Victorian period which includes Graphic America and the Illustrated London News (Pinwell 106). The illustrations differed in theme and related to nineteenth century and images of other parts of the world including Europe and Asia. Many illustrations accompanied melodramas and stories in popular magazines during that time. Armitage collections were meticulous, boxed and annotated. The policy was followed by other collectors that performed illustration work. The work of Edward Armitage helps a person to study images and texts together, and this helps to understand the codes and conduct of the magazine’s readership.

Between the 1850s and 1860s, two styles of illustration appeared and include drawing using pen and ink and woodblock. Wood engraving was the most common style of English illustration as mostly used by British artist (Sandys 44). It mostly appeared in periodicals published in London which was a home for many firms that engaged in wood-engraving. The analysis of the illustrated magazines during that period focused on different issues. One of the issues is the question of the correlations between such illustrations, written text and its effect on the readers. Among the principle, interests are how the periodicals were designed to please the crowd through utilizing a spectrum of physical features to attract many audiences. The primary attraction was as a result if visual richness. Embraced by the artists of that period, journals presented illustrations that attracted the attention of the reader to focus on the issues. Middle-classes were provided with fine engravings of portable galleries that were of white and black color to improve the taste of the public as well as readership. Written texts and illustrations were as important as the bindings, physical dimensions as well as the inclusion of advertisements (Leighton 51). Such elements played a crucial role in positioning the magazines in their market to make them appealing to the readers.

Conclusion

In the 1860s, wood engraving was critical in the artwork that was used by the readers which help in the understanding of the codes and conduct of the magazine’s readership. The demand for illustrations in periodicals as well as books increased significantly during the 19th century. The rise in the demand for literature scrambled to make their fortune during this period. As a result, wood engraving became popular as it was widely used by many artists in their work. Wood engraving was used to illustrate any work that includes photographs and paintings. With time, wood engraving illustration was improved and turned out to be the realm of artists. They were heavily relied on the printing press.
Work Cited

Victorian illustration: the pre-Raphaelites, the Idyllic School and the High Victorians

Goldman, Paul (2004)

Picture this: the artist as illustrator

Backemeyer, Sylvia, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design (London, England) (2005)

The private press

Cave, Roderick (1971)

Illustrated periodicals of the 1860s: contexts & collaborations

Cooke, Simon (c2010)

The brothers Dalziel: a record of fifty years’ work in conjunction with many of the most distinguished artists of the period, 1840-1890

Dalziel, George, Dalziel, Edward (1901)

The art of ‘Radio Times’: the first sixty years

Driver, David (1981)

The illustrated gift book 1880-1930: with a checklist of 2,500 titles

Felmingham, Michael (1988)

Just my type: a book about fonts

Garfield, Simon (2011)

Victorian illustrated books 1850-1870: the heyday of wood-engraving ; the Robin de Beaumont collection

Goldman, Paul (c1994)

Reading Victorian illustration, 1855-1875: spoils of the lumber room

Goldman, Paul, Cooke, Simon (2012)

Wood engraving & the woodcut in Britain, c.1890-1990: traces the history of the medium properly known as xylography (…) and in this bracing account James Hamilton places its leading exponents within their artistic and social contexts (…)

Hamilton, James (1994)

A history of the Gregynog Press

Harrop, Dorothy A., Private Libraries Association (1980)

Fin-de-siecle: the illustrators of the Nineties

Houfe, Simon (1992)

Women engravers

Jaffe?, Patricia (1988)

The Victorian woodblock illustrators

De Mare?, Eric Samuel (1980)

The telling line: essays on fifteen contemporary book illustrators

Martin, Douglas (1989)

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Uglow, Jennifer S. (2006)

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ADDITIONAL LIST OF BRITISH ARTIST IN THE ESSAY
Walter Sickert (1860–1942) English Mimic painter
Thomas Walshaw (1862 -1901) English watercolourist

Arthur Wardle (1864–1949) English painter

William Edwin Pimm (1864–1952) artist, oil and watercolours

Arthur Lowe (painter) (1865–1940) – landscape artist

H. Gustave Hiller (1865–1946) –stained glass

Frank Brangwyn (1867–1956) – Welsh artist, water colourist, painter, progressive designer virtuoso engraver and illustrator

Charles Murray Padday (1868–1954) – English painter
Carlisle, Janice. Picturing Reform in Victorian Britain. , 2012.