Harry Fenn: Pen and Ink Virtuoso

Harry Fenn was born in Surrey, England and emigrated at eighteen to the United States. He was a prolific book illustrator, later one of the founders of the American Watercolor Society. He could do it all, meticulous drawings, prints and paintings from his extensive travels throughout the world. His best work in black-and-white appears in Picturesque America, Picturesque Europe, and Picturesque Palestine.

You can read his biography at this link.

I've chosen these illustrated articles from Scribner's Magazine for March 1896 and The Century Magazine July 1887 to show off his virtuosity and total control of his pen line in illustrating such elusive subjects as flowers in one color.

Some of the article Carnations from March 1896, was printed in two colors. Click on image above to enlarge the detail.

Click on image below to enlarge.

The following illustrations are from "Among the Wildflowers," written by the famous naturalist John Burroughs. Click on this image and those below to enlarge the detail.

Yes, I know this work is over 100 years old, but who's counting?