Siderealpressextras

DECADENT ILLUSTRATORS

SERIES OVERVIEW:

    This series attempts to showcase material by artists whose work might be described as 'decadent' in its style or subject matter.
    It does not intend to give anything other than the briefest of biographical overviews (though references for such are given within each entry). It instead aims to present a short selection of illustrations which are either typical of the artists work or perhaps illustrate a text or theme that falls within the remit of the series.
    We welcome suggestions or contributions to this ongoing series.

VERNON HILL

INTRODUCTION

    Vernon Hill (1887-1953) is yet another artist whose work was previously unknown to me. This is mainly because he produced very little book work over a short period and in small editions.

    His work seems to take some inspiration from Blake in terms of its mysticism, and though he was almost an exact contemporary of Austin Spare (another often compared to Blake) Hills is far less grotesque, and might perhaps be more favourabley compared to the best of John Austin.

    Hill was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire and trained as a lithographer under the designer John Hassell. At the age of 23 he produced his first commission for John Lane "The Arcadian Calendar for 1910", Each illustration had a text for it. Here is Januarys';

    "We were awake and went out into the snow, heedless of our naked feet and scanty night attire. In the enthusiasm of the moment, our aged bodies were glowing with something like their old fire, and we hastened over the cruel ground, never resting until we reached the Boundaries of our Present Time. Even as we arrived there, the great White Cloud opened, and we went down upon our knees because of our great anticipation. The seconds dragged like lead! Then, slowly descending the narrow winding Way in the Deep Night, came He who holds the Future, mystically draped, and mounted strangely upon an elaborately caparisoned Ass! We threw up our arms because of the yearning in our hearts! For He bore with Him, upon a soft, starry Cushion, His gift to us - the bright and happy New Year".

    Lane also produced his two other major works, both of which were illustrations to poetry books, namely Stephen Phillips 'The New Inferno' (1910) and Richard Pearse Chopes' 'Ballads Weird and Wonderful' (1912) in tiny editions of 275 and 500 respectively.

    Chope said of Hill work - "they touch the soul with pity and with terror; they have the quality, the peculiar quality, of forming in the mind a permanent picture, long after the merely beautiful becomes an evanescent memory."

    Though Hill continued to produce prints and illustrations after WW1 he did not produce any major book works. He devoted himself more to sculpture especially for Guildford Cathedral. Some images of them can be seen here.

     We also hear that a biography of Hill is currently under way and will post a link to that when we have further news.

    The illustrations from the three books above are reproduced in their entirity available in hi-resolution here, from the wonderful archive of illustration The Visual Telling Of Stories and I am greatly indebted to Dr Chris Mullen for allowing me to reproduce them. What follows should whet your appetite for a visit to his site.