Skip to content

Cart

Your cart is empty

Article: Classic Book Illustrations by N.C. Wyeth

19th Century Books

Classic Book Illustrations by N.C. Wyeth

New to our collection of rare books are two illustrated Scribner’s classics- Westward Ho! and The Last of the Mohicans- both illustrated by American painter Newell Convers Wyeth. 

The publishing house of Charles Scribner's Sons first commissioned Wyeth to illustrate Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island in 1911.  The 17 paintings that make up Treasure Island’s illustration set are celebrated in American book illustration, combining realistic action and a heightened contrast between light and shadow to enrich the story well beyond the text.

Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley Illustrated by N.C. Wyeth, at the Great Republic

These pictures made the Wyeth-illustrated edition of Treasure Island a favorite of generations of readers. So well received was his first book, that Wyeth illustrated a whole range of "boy's adventure books" for the Scribner's Classics series, including Kidnapped, Robin Hood, Westward Ho!, The Mysterious Island, The Boy's King Arthur, The Last of the Mohicans, and twenty other titles.  

Wyeth became known for a superb sense of color and his complex compositions. He had a talent for accentuating the palpable, dramatic tension inherent in the stories. Each of his Scribner’s Classics books featured full-color paste down illustrations on the front board and as many as nine or ten additional full-color illustrations throughout the story. The sheer size and scale of his book art, unusual in illustrations of the period, contributed to their heroic quality. “Wyeth's valiant and heroic characters created prototypes of our American heroes, which have lasted to set the standard for movie, television, and computer game heroes.” (National Museum of American Illustration). 

Because of his talent, the Scribner's Classics have never waned in popularity and the books he illustrated are coveted by collectors to this day.

"Uncas Slays a Deer" Illustration from James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans: A Narrative of 1757.

"John Oxenham" Illustration from Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley, Illustrated by N.C. Wyeth, 1924

Read more

Shopping a Community of Makers: Stacey Lee Webber - The Great Republic
American Artist

Shopping a Community of Makers: Stacey Lee Webber

We at The Great Republic take pride in celebrating American craftsmanship and supporting the community of American makers, designers, artists, and creators represented in our shop.  From our leath...

Read more
Shopping a Community of Makers: Intellectual Property - The Great Republic
American gifts

Shopping a Community of Makers: Intellectual Property

We at The Great Republic take pride in celebrating American craftsmanship and supporting the community of American makers, designers, artists, and creators represented in our shop.  From our leath...

Read more

Blog posts

Tracking Arizona’s Growth, from Territory to 48th State - The Great Republic

Tracking Arizona’s Growth, from Territory to 48th State

Arizona became the nation’s 48th state in 1912. Prior to its statehood, Arizona was a part of the Territory of New Mexico. It was then organized as a separate territory on February 24, 1863. Read m...

Read more
A George Washington Memorial Engraving, with an Interesting Publication History - The Great Republic
prints

A George Washington Memorial Engraving, with an Interesting Publication History

Published twice, both in times of collective mourning and reflection, John Donlevy's calligraphic memorial print of George Washington offered the public a means of remembrance, celebration, and con...

Read more
Fascinating Railway Maps of the 19th Century - The Great Republic
Antique Maps

Fascinating Railway Maps of the 19th Century

In the mid-1800s, railroads were transforming the landscape of North America, revolutionizing transportation, industry, and shifting populations seemingly overnight. Maps from this era reflect this...

Read more
Back to the top