David Gentleman is one of Britain's leading artists and designers. His work is wide-ranging and includes lithographs, watercolours and many outstanding designs for postage stamps, symbols, posters and murals. His own books of watercolours and drawings of countries and places around the world reveal a passionate feeling and interest in architecture and landscape.

The Wood Engravings of David Gentleman

This is the first collection of David Gentleman's engravings to be published. The book contains some 300 wood engravings and includes early book illustrations done while a student at the Royal College of Art, the well-known engravings for Clare's The Shepherd's Calendar and twenty-five engravings from The Swiss Family Robinson which was published in America and rarely seen in this country. There are designs for postage stamps, press advertisements, book covers, and all the engravings for the Charing Cross Underground mural. With only a few exceptions the engravings are printed directly from the artist's original wood blocks.

Award-winning

This book was selected as the winner of the limited editions category at the 2001 British Book Design and Production Awards, and received a judges award as one of the best five books at the FPBA/PBFA Oxford Fine Press Bookfair 2001.

Introduction by Fiona MacCarthy
Fiona MacCarthy, best known for her biographies of Eric Gill and William Morris, contributes an Introduction which describes David Gentleman's upbringing and training and reveals the influences on his work. She reviews his work not only as a wood engraver but also as an artist and designer, acknowledging his unique creative skills and sensitivity and the importance of this work in the context of modern British wood engraving.

David Gentleman adds his own foreword 'Engraving on wood' and a lively commentary on how each group of engravings came about.

Published in a limited edition of 350 copies, signed by the artist.

A selection from The Wood Engravings of David Gentleman

Click on the pictures to view a larger image

All engravings are Copyright©David Gentleman

A Breton Farmyard
1958

Charing Cross Underground mural
1978-9