Showing posts with label The Expedition in Pursuit of Rare Meats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Expedition in Pursuit of Rare Meats. Show all posts

Wednesday, 17 November 2021

Defence Against the Dark Arts Part XV: The artwork of Rex Whistler

The artist and designer Rex Whistler got a brief mention in an article about Beverly Nichols, some of whose books he illustrated. This was a good match: they had a lot in common. Both men were members of the Bright Young Things set for example, and both had a style that has been described as whimsical, quaint and twee. 

Rex Whistler was a very prolific producer of romantic and beautiful images during his short life. He illustrated a variety of books; he produced artwork for advertisements; he painted portraits of members of London society, decorated the homes of the aristocracy and created designs for the stage.

I like his elegant, baroque style very much. There are many images of his work online, so I will feature just a few good examples. 

This poster from 1928 is an advertisement designed to encourage people to use public transport for visiting the London Museum. The poster depicts Britannia arriving in a carriage pulled by a unicorn and being greeted by a policemen, a cherub holding a London Museum guide and a dog. Several statues, including Nelson on top of his column in the background, acknowledge her presence by bowing and doffing their hats:

Spring is from 1929: