Posted by Eric Abraham on August 11, 2009 at 12:14:07 user EricAbraham.
In Reply to: Re: Darien posted by Owen Roberts on August 11, 2009 at 23:21:50:
Mr. Ransome's illustrations of the entire series is, to me, one of the best things about the books! To put it mildly, they're Wonderful! They convey the feeling, the atmosphere of the story. Illustrations by any other would not do the job. - - and if Mr. Webb left out the Elephant Flag on the houseboat - especially when Mr. Ransome drew one in on his postcard to indicate such, then - - -
Now, I have not seen any of the books with Mr. Webb's illustration, just the few reproductions here on Tarboard. I do have a Pigeon Post illustrated by a Mary E. Shepard (Lippincot - 1937); while thay "do the job", they just do not come up to Mr. Ransome's. Maybe they are too "literal" in depicting the scene - like still from a movie. Mr. Ransome's art work is subjective and allows room for the imagination to work its magic.
Eric Abraham
Downtown Lucas, Kansas