Tom Poulton
Encyclopedia
Tom Poulton was a British
magazine and medical illustrator who provided artwork for a range of publications including the British Journal of Surgery
and The Radio Times. After his death it was discovered that he had also secretly produced hundreds of sketches and finished drawings of men and women engaged in a wide range of uninhibited sexual activity. In the 1990s and 2000s many of these were collected and made available to the public by publishing houses specialising in erotic art
in Bloomsbury
, Central London
where he was taught by renowned artist and teacher Henry Tonks
. At Slade he met acclaimed lutenist Diana Poulton
née Kibblewhite who he married in 1923.
new versions of A Plurality of Worlds by Fontenelle
and Isaac Walton's The Compleat Angler. He worked almost entirely with a soft pencil but occasionally used pen and ink. For a time he was employed as a cartographer for the Ministry of Defence.
, India
Poulton came into contact with the Kama Sutra
which prompted a fascination with erotic art. During his lifetime he produced many erotic drawings, usually on commission from various patrons, notably playboy yachtsman Beecher Moore
who sold a large collection of Poulton's work in the early 1990s. His erotica is very much of its time, the clothing is very clearly from the 1940s and 50s and the pictures are characterised by an exuberance and joie de vivre on the part of the participants which arguably sets him apart from many other artists in the genre.
Throughout his life he kept all of his erotic work secret for fear that it would be seized and he would be arrested by the police. He lived in Soho
, London
for many years and was a member of the Double Crown Club
but at the time of his death he was living alone in a flat in Camden
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
magazine and medical illustrator who provided artwork for a range of publications including the British Journal of Surgery
British Journal of Surgery
The BJS is a monthly peer reviewed publication targeting general surgeons and the associated sub specialities. At 3.722 it has the highest impact factor of any surgical journal published in the UK. It has been published since 1913 and is currently published by John Wiley & Sons....
and The Radio Times. After his death it was discovered that he had also secretly produced hundreds of sketches and finished drawings of men and women engaged in a wide range of uninhibited sexual activity. In the 1990s and 2000s many of these were collected and made available to the public by publishing houses specialising in erotic art
Erotic art
Erotic art covers any artistic work that is intended to evoke erotic arousal or that depicts scenes of love-making. It includes paintings, engravings, drawings, sculptures, photographs, music and writing.-Definition:...
Early life
Poulton was born in February 1897 and in 1914 won a scholarship to Slade School of Fine ArtSlade School of Fine Art
The Slade School of Fine Art is a world-renownedart school in London, United Kingdom, and a department of University College London...
in Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury
-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...
, Central London
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
where he was taught by renowned artist and teacher Henry Tonks
Henry Tonks
Henry Tonks, FRCS was a British draughtsman and painter of figure subjects, chiefly interiors, and a caricaturist...
. At Slade he met acclaimed lutenist Diana Poulton
Diana Poulton
Diana Poulton was an English lutenist and musicologist. A leading member of the Early Music Revival and associate of Arnold Dolmetsch, she played a key role in the revival of the popularity of the lute and its music. She was married to the illustrator Tom Poulton.- References :*...
née Kibblewhite who he married in 1923.
Career
Poulton was commissioned to produce artwork for many magazines and books including, for Nonesuch PressNonesuch Press
Nonesuch Press was a private press founded in 1922 in London by Francis Meynell, his wife Vera Mendel, and David Garnett.-History:Nonesuch Press's first book, a volume of John Donne's Love Poems was issued in May 1923. In total, the press produced more than 140 books. The press was at its peak in...
new versions of A Plurality of Worlds by Fontenelle
Fontenelle
Fontenelle may refer to:* Fontenelle, Wyoming, a census-designated place in the US state of Wyoming* Fontanelle, Nebraska, a former town in the US state of Nebraska* Fontanelle, Iowa* Fontenelle , a crater on the moon...
and Isaac Walton's The Compleat Angler. He worked almost entirely with a soft pencil but occasionally used pen and ink. For a time he was employed as a cartographer for the Ministry of Defence.
Personal Life and Erotica
Whilst statitioned in KhajurahoKhajuraho
The Khajuraho Group of Monuments in Khajuraho , a town in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, located in Chhatarpur District, about southeast of New Delhi, are one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. Khajuraho has the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples, famous for...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
Poulton came into contact with the Kama Sutra
Kama Sutra
The Kama Sutra is an ancient Indian Hindu text widely considered to be the standard work on human sexual behavior in Sanskrit literature written by Vātsyāyana. A portion of the work consists of practical advice on sexual intercourse. It is largely in prose, with many inserted anustubh poetry verses...
which prompted a fascination with erotic art. During his lifetime he produced many erotic drawings, usually on commission from various patrons, notably playboy yachtsman Beecher Moore
Beecher Moore
Beecher Moore, was a highly influential figure in the development of dinghy sailing in the United Kingdom after the Second World War...
who sold a large collection of Poulton's work in the early 1990s. His erotica is very much of its time, the clothing is very clearly from the 1940s and 50s and the pictures are characterised by an exuberance and joie de vivre on the part of the participants which arguably sets him apart from many other artists in the genre.
Throughout his life he kept all of his erotic work secret for fear that it would be seized and he would be arrested by the police. He lived in Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for many years and was a member of the Double Crown Club
Double Crown Club
The Double Crown Club is a dining club and society of printers, publishers, book designers and illustrators in London that was founded in the 1920s...
but at the time of his death he was living alone in a flat in Camden
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
.