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The 19th century produced a plethora of periodicals. Readers flocked to outlets weekly, choosing from the overwhelming array of topics and disciplines. Journals and magazines were among the most popular media of the time. It was also the era of illustrators. A bevy of artists developed in the media cities to feed the hungry readership with images. And although printing technology and photography had reached a technical level that could well take over the visual language of magazines, many publishers still relied on the artistic value in the reports. As the artist of a large crowd, the individual runs the risk of being left in the background. Frank Craig managed to position himself with his artistic talent and expressive images. As a native of England with a center of life in London, he managed to gain a high profile on the international art market and in the media world.
The standards for illustration art were high. The images had to convey a message and be in context with the written word. The text was the prioritized element in both the novels of the time and the magazines. The image should not question the truthfulness, as a photograph could achieve, nor should it create a romantic transfiguration. This was a balancing act that only artists who had developed an eye for reality and the real world could perform. Frank Craig conveyed emotion and was able to depict scenes with situational expression. The often rigid-looking lithographs took on an extraordinary liveliness and perspective under Craig's hands. To the viewer, many scenes seem familiar. When ladies, try out the first bicycles, a bright laughter seems to ring out. Music resounds in the ball scenes and even war scenes seem real and lifelike, but lack rawness. In addition to newspapers, Frank Craig illustrated novels, by the great authors of the day. Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Books and R.W.Chambers fantastic tales came alive through Craig.
Frank Craig was not only an illustrator, he was passionately devoted to portraiture and created some works that can be classified as history painting. The artist submitted his works to the exhibitions of the Royal Academy and the Paris Salon. The critics of both nations regarded the works with favor and distinguished Craig's art. It was not only the professional public that was enthralled by the paintings. Buyers of paintings were not slow to respond and it can be surmised that Craig was able to build a solid economic base. Frank Craig suffered throughout his life from an illness that is thought to have affected his lungs. He had to leave London and sought a place to live in a rural setting. At the age of only 44, the empathetic artist died of tuberculosis, immediately after a major exhibition in Lisbon.
The 19th century produced a plethora of periodicals. Readers flocked to outlets weekly, choosing from the overwhelming array of topics and disciplines. Journals and magazines were among the most popular media of the time. It was also the era of illustrators. A bevy of artists developed in the media cities to feed the hungry readership with images. And although printing technology and photography had reached a technical level that could well take over the visual language of magazines, many publishers still relied on the artistic value in the reports. As the artist of a large crowd, the individual runs the risk of being left in the background. Frank Craig managed to position himself with his artistic talent and expressive images. As a native of England with a center of life in London, he managed to gain a high profile on the international art market and in the media world.
The standards for illustration art were high. The images had to convey a message and be in context with the written word. The text was the prioritized element in both the novels of the time and the magazines. The image should not question the truthfulness, as a photograph could achieve, nor should it create a romantic transfiguration. This was a balancing act that only artists who had developed an eye for reality and the real world could perform. Frank Craig conveyed emotion and was able to depict scenes with situational expression. The often rigid-looking lithographs took on an extraordinary liveliness and perspective under Craig's hands. To the viewer, many scenes seem familiar. When ladies, try out the first bicycles, a bright laughter seems to ring out. Music resounds in the ball scenes and even war scenes seem real and lifelike, but lack rawness. In addition to newspapers, Frank Craig illustrated novels, by the great authors of the day. Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Books and R.W.Chambers fantastic tales came alive through Craig.
Frank Craig was not only an illustrator, he was passionately devoted to portraiture and created some works that can be classified as history painting. The artist submitted his works to the exhibitions of the Royal Academy and the Paris Salon. The critics of both nations regarded the works with favor and distinguished Craig's art. It was not only the professional public that was enthralled by the paintings. Buyers of paintings were not slow to respond and it can be surmised that Craig was able to build a solid economic base. Frank Craig suffered throughout his life from an illness that is thought to have affected his lungs. He had to leave London and sought a place to live in a rural setting. At the age of only 44, the empathetic artist died of tuberculosis, immediately after a major exhibition in Lisbon.