George Alfred Williams (1875-1932)
George Alfred Williams was American painter and illustrator of many 'classics'. I have discovered his work when I was doing a research about Dickens' Christmas Carol. Williams illustrated this and several other works by this famous novelist (The Cricket on the Hearth, The Chimes, Mr. Pickwick's Christmas) and other writers who wrote for younger audience, like Tobias Smollet or Daniel Defoe.
Among many interesting pieces I decided to present an illustration from The Buccaneers of America (or The Pirates of Panama), written by Alexandre Olivier Esquemelin (1645?-1707), who was a real buccaneer from France. Pirates of course remind me of another great American illustrator: Howard Pyle (1853-1911).
Don't expect biography, I just prepared few other interesting facts from life and work of George Alfred Williams:
- He was born as the oldest of three sons of Alfred Gardner Williams. His father was successful manufacturer of mechanization. Young George was predestined to actively participate in family business and he did, but had spent his spare time at drawing and painting. Although without any formal training group of his watercolors was accepted by American Watercolor Society.
- George readily changed his business career for uncertain future of the artist and soon started making illustrations for several magazines. He also enrolled in classes with Douglas Volk and other famous painters. Soon followed commissions for books but he reached his creative peak with landscape and figure paintings (oil, watercolors and pastels). His works got several rewards and became popular all across America (he is still very popular among collectors from South America)
- George A. Williams also wrote many art related articles and essays.
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