Hugh Thomson
| Hugh Thomson | |
|---|---|
Thomson at his desk
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| Born |
Hugh Thomson 1 June 1860 Kingsgate Street, Coleraine, County Londonderry, Ireland |
| Died | 7 May 1920 (aged 59) 8 Patten Road, Wandsworth Common, London, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Known for | Book and periodical illustration |
Hugh Thomson (1 June 1860 – 7 May 1920) was an Irish Illustrator born at Coleraine near Derry. He is best known for his pen-and-ink illustrations of works by authors such as Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and J. M. Barrie.
Hugh Thomson was born to tea merchant John Thomson (1822–1894) and shopkeeper Catherine (née Andrews) (d. 1871). He was the eldest of their three surviving children. Although he had no formal artistic training, as a young boy he would often fill his schoolbooks with drawings of horses, dogs, and ships. He attended Coleraine Model School, but left at the age of fourteen to work as a clerk at E. Gribbon & Sons, Linen Manufacturers. Several years later his artistic talents were discovered, and in 1877 he was hired by printing and publishing company Marcus Ward & Co.
On 29 December 1884 Thomson married Jessie Naismith Miller in Belfast. Soon afterwards they moved back to London for Thomson's career. They had one son together, John, born in 1886.
In 1911, he and his family moved to Sidcup, hoping to improve their "ever delicate health." Thomson's correspondence reflects the fact that he missed being close to the National Gallery and the museums where he usually compiled research for his illustrations. During World War I, demand for Thomson's work decreased to a few propaganda pamphlets and some commissions from friends. By 1917, Thomson had fallen on financial hardship and he had to take a job with the Board of Trade, where he worked until 1919.
Thomson died of heart disease at his home in Wandsworth Common on 7 May 1920.
At the age of 17, Thomson joined the art department at Marcus Ward & Co. There his mentor was John Vinycomb, head of the art department. Vinycomb and Thomson's cousin, Mrs. William H. Dodd, encouraged his artistic development during the first years of his career.
Thomson's artistic ambitions led him to London in 1883 where he became a leading contributor The English Illustrated Magazine. He first worked for the magazine with Randolph Caldecott on the 1885–86 issue, and later collaborated with Herbert Railton on the 1887–88 issue. His style at the time is said to be in the "straight tradition of Caldecott."
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