Frank C. Papé
Encyclopedia
Frank Cheyne Papé, who generally signed himself Frank C. Papé (b. Camberwell
, July 4, 1878 - d. 1972) was an English
artist
and book illustrator
.
Papé's earliest illustrations are found in books for children from around 1908, including The Odyssey and The Pilgrim's Progress
. During the second decade of the 20th Century he made extensive contributions to the following titles :
He obtained notice with the illustrations he produced in the 1920s for a number of the books of James Branch Cabell
from The Biography of Manuel
issued by the publishing house The Bodley Head
, including Jurgen, A Comedy of Justice
(1921, originally in a limited edition), The High Place, Something about Eve and The Cream of the Jest
. These illustrations often wittily paralleled the double entendre
s in Cabell's writing. In the preface to the edition of his book Figures of Earth
, issued with Papé's illustrations in 1925, Cabell praised the fitness of Papé's style for these works.
The success of these editions led to the Bodley Head commissioning illustrations by Papé for books of Anatole France
, including The Revolt of the Angels (1924) and Penguin Island
(1925), in addition to those for the works of Rabelais. He also designed book covers for other authors, including Rafael Sabatini
.
Papé was also sought after as a designer of bookplates, including that of the author Dennis Wheatley
.
During the 1930s Papé's career faltered and little book work of his is recorded after this period, although he apparently supplied illustrations to a Chicago children's magazine in the 1940s.
A number of Papé's original drawings, together with some of his correspondence, is preserved at Stanford University
.
Camberwell
Camberwell is a district of south London, England, and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located southeast of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Toponymy:...
, July 4, 1878 - d. 1972) was an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
and book illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
.
Papé's earliest illustrations are found in books for children from around 1908, including The Odyssey and The Pilgrim's Progress
The Pilgrim's Progress
The Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come is a Christian allegory written by John Bunyan and published in February, 1678. It is regarded as one of the most significant works of religious English literature, has been translated into more than 200 languages, and has never been...
. During the second decade of the 20th Century he made extensive contributions to the following titles :
- The Gateway to Spenser - Stories from the Faërie Queen (1910);
- The Pilgrim's Progress (1910);
- The Golden Fairy Book (1911);
- The Ruby Fairy Book (1911);
- The Diamond Fairy Book (1911);
- Sigurd and Gudrun (1912);
- Siegfried and Kriemhild (1912);
- The Book of Psalms (1912);
- As It Is In Heaven (1912);
- The Story Without an End (1913);
- Robin Hood and Other Stories of Yorkshire (1915); and
- The Russian Story Book (1916).
He obtained notice with the illustrations he produced in the 1920s for a number of the books of James Branch Cabell
James Branch Cabell
James Branch Cabell, ; April 14, 1879 – May 5, 1958) was an American author of fantasy fiction and belles lettres. Cabell was well regarded by his contemporaries, including H. L. Mencken and Sinclair Lewis. His works were considered escapist and fit well in the culture of the 1920s, when his...
from The Biography of Manuel
The Biography of Manuel
The Biography of Manuel is a series of novels, essays and poetry by James Branch Cabell. It purports to trace the life, illusions and disillusions of Dom Manuel, Count of Poictesme , and of his physical and spiritual descendants through many generations...
issued by the publishing house The Bodley Head
The Bodley Head
The Bodley Head is an English publishing house, founded in 1887 and existing as an independent entity until the 1970s. The name has been used as an imprint of Random House Children's Books since 1987...
, including Jurgen, A Comedy of Justice
Jurgen, A Comedy of Justice
Jurgen, A Comedy of Justice is a 1919 fantasy book by James Branch Cabell – the eighth among some fifty-two books written by this author – which gained fame shortly after its publication.-The book and its reception:...
(1921, originally in a limited edition), The High Place, Something about Eve and The Cream of the Jest
The Cream of the Jest
The Cream of the Jest : A Comedy of Evasions is a comical and philosophical novel with possible fantasy elements, by James Branch Cabell, published in 1917. Much of it consists of the historical dreams and philosophical reflections of the main character, the famous writer Felix Kennaston...
. These illustrations often wittily paralleled the double entendre
Double entendre
A double entendre or adianoeta is a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so: often risqué or ironic....
s in Cabell's writing. In the preface to the edition of his book Figures of Earth
Figures of Earth
Figures of Earth: A Comedy of Appearances is a fantasy novel or ironic romance by James Branch Cabell, set in the imaginary French province of Poictesme during the first half of the 13th century. The book follows the earthly career of Dom Manuel the Redeemer from his origins as a swineherd,...
, issued with Papé's illustrations in 1925, Cabell praised the fitness of Papé's style for these works.
The success of these editions led to the Bodley Head commissioning illustrations by Papé for books of Anatole France
Anatole France
Anatole France , born François-Anatole Thibault, , was a French poet, journalist, and novelist. He was born in Paris, and died in Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire. He was a successful novelist, with several best-sellers. Ironic and skeptical, he was considered in his day the ideal French man of letters...
, including The Revolt of the Angels (1924) and Penguin Island
Penguin Island
-Television:* Penguin Island , a 6-part Australian natural history documentary miniseries about the life of the Little Penguin-Islands:* Penguin Island , off Perth* Penguin Island , Antarctica...
(1925), in addition to those for the works of Rabelais. He also designed book covers for other authors, including Rafael Sabatini
Rafael Sabatini
Rafael Sabatini was an Italian/British writer of novels of romance and adventure.-Life:Rafael Sabatini was born in Iesi, Italy, to an English mother and Italian father...
.
Papé was also sought after as a designer of bookplates, including that of the author Dennis Wheatley
Dennis Wheatley
Dennis Yates Wheatley was an English author. His prolific output of stylish thrillers and occult novels made him one of the world's best-selling authors from the 1930s through the 1960s.-Early life:...
.
During the 1930s Papé's career faltered and little book work of his is recorded after this period, although he apparently supplied illustrations to a Chicago children's magazine in the 1940s.
A number of Papé's original drawings, together with some of his correspondence, is preserved at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
.
External Links
- The Diamond Fairy Book (with 8 coloured plates by Frank Papé) at Project Gutenberg.