Charles Keeping (1924 – 1988) is one of my favourite 20th century illustrators. He rose to prominence by illustrating Rosemary Sutcliff’s historical novels for children:
The Silver Branch (1957)
The Lantern Bearers (1959)
Warrior Scarlet (1958)
Knight’s Fee (1960)
Beowulf: Dragonslayer (1961)
Dawn Wind (1961)
The Mark of the Horse Lord (1965)
The Capricorn Bracelet (1973)
Blood Feud (1976)
I have always had a strong feeling that Charles was a true genius… it is my belief that he came to maturity very slowly (not in terms of technique, at which he was a master from his earliest days) but from the point of view of his self-confidence as an artist. … he was all the time growing and developing as a man whose whole life, heart and mind, was dedicated to exploring the human situation in a universe that he found both beautiful and terrifying.
Mabel George, Keeping’s editor
Born in Lambeth, Keeping has a strong childhood memory of peering through holes in a fence outside his home: ‘It was like looking at things on a stage.’ These ‘tableaux’ of moments inspired his work. Rather than recreate a particular scene or moment in a book, as described by the author (when not him), he, instead, chose to focus on conveying ‘mood’ and ’emotion’. His vision and imagination has been compared to that of William Blake. Hailed as the ‘most brilliant and original British artist’ of his period, his work is still often met with some reservation because of its subject matter & sophistication. He has illustrated many great writers including Garner, Sutcliff, Trease & Ashley to name a few.
@Mat_at_Brookes (Mathew Tobin)
Charles Keeping’s CILIPCKG award for Charley, Charlotte, and the Golden Canary was the first to include a Black British main character on the cover.
Charles Keeping wrote and illustrated Alfie and the Ferryboat (1968), which is now hard to get. Alfie is a young boy who lives in Woolwich on the River Thames. The boy is friends with a sailor called ‘Old Bunty’. The boy also has a dog. Alfie’s mission is to find Old Bunty. He ends up on the Woolwich Ferry which functions as a fantasy portal, taking him to ‘the other side of the world’.
The illustrations for Alfie and the Ferryboat were highly experimental at the time and still wonderful.
Charles Keeping (1969) From Knights, Beasts and Wonders, Sir-Gawayn and the Green Knight Charles Keeping (1969) From Knights, Beasts and Wonders, Sir-Gawayn and the Green Knight The Beginning of the Armadillos illustrated by Charles Keeping 1982 The Beginning of the Armadillos illustrated by Charles Keeping 1982 The Beginning of the Armadillos illustrated by Charles Keeping 1982 The Beginning of the Armadillos illustrated by Charles Keeping 1982 The Beginning of the Armadillos illustrated by Charles Keeping 1982 The Beginning of the Armadillos illustrated by Charles Keeping 1982 Classic Ghost Stories 1973 illustrated by Charles Keeping1973 illustration by Charles Keeping for the M. R. James ghost story1973 illustration by Charles Keeping for the M. R. James ghost story A Warning to the CuriousThe Tale Of Sir GawainThe Wedding Ghost elderly1969 From the book ‘Knights, Beasts and Wonders’ horse1976 from the book ‘Les Miserables’‘Two white horses’, ‘Les Miserables’ 1976‘To arms!’, ‘Les Miserables’ 1976‘The ravens croaked as they divided the corpses between them’ From the book ’The Tale Of Prince Igor’ 1979Charles Keeping illustration for 1973 Folio Society edition of The Ghost Stories of M R James Charles Keeping from the book ‘Cockney Ding Dong’ 1975 Charles Keeping from the book ‘Cockney Ding Dong’ 1975 Charles Keeping from the book ‘Cockney Ding Dong’ 1975 Cover of 1974 book Railway Passage illustrated by Charles KeepingCover of 1974 book Railway Passage illustrated by Charles KeepingCover of 1974 book Railway Passage illustrated by Charles Keeping
Inter City 1977
Inter city was the name given to the train service in Britain during the 1970s. Apart from getting on/off and a few in the carriages, this picture book is framed as if your looking out of the window as the train leaves London. The train travels through the suburbs, then through the countryside.
It’s unlikely you’ve seen brick work illustrated as intricately as in Charles Keeping’s book Railway Passage. (But for some other examples of brickwork in illustration, see here.)
Charles Keeping 1978 ‘A Kind of Wild JusticeCharles Keeping 1978 ‘A Kind of Wild JusticeCharles Keeping 1978 ‘A Kind of Wild JusticeCharles Keeping, illustration for Rosemary Sutcliff’s ‘Warrior Scarlet’ Terry on the Fence (1975) by Bernard Ashley Terry on the Fence (1975) for a book by Bernard Ashley Charles Keeping 1976 from the book ‘The wildman’ The trueish story of a merman caught at Orford, Suffolk U.K. in the time of King Henry ll Charles Keeping 1976 from the book ‘The wildman’ The trueish story of a merman caught at Orford, Suffolk U.K. in the time of King Henry ll Charles Keeping 1976 from the book ‘The wildman’ The trueish story of a merman caught at Orford, Suffolk U.K. in the time of King Henry ll Charles Keeping 1976 from the book ‘The wildman’ The trueish story of a merman caught at Orford, Suffolk U.K. in the time of King Henry ll Charles Keeping 1976 from the book ‘The wildman’ The trueish story of a merman caught at Orford, Suffolk U.K. in the time of King Henry ll Charles Keeping 1976 from the book ‘The wildman’ The trueish story of a merman caught at Orford, Suffolk U.K. in the time of King Henry ll Charles Keeping 1976 from the book ‘The wildman’ The trueish story of a merman caught at Orford, Suffolk U.K. in the time of King Henry ll Charles Keeping 1976 from the book ‘The wildman’ The trueish story of a merman caught at Orford, Suffolk U.K. in the time of King Henry ll
A merman was caught at Orford in Suffolk during the reign of Henry 2 (1154-1189). He was imprisoend in the newly-built castle, did not recognise the Cross, did not talk despite torture, returned voluntarily into captivity having eluded three rows of nets, and then disappeared never to be seen again. Taht’s what the chornicler Ralph of Coggeshall says in his ‘Chronicon Anglicanum’.
COVER COPY
The Life Of Our Lord illustrated by Charles KeepingThe Life Of Our Lord illustrated by Charles KeepingThe Life Of Our Lord illustrated by Charles KeepingThe Life Of Our Lord illustrated by Charles KeepingThe Life Of Our Lord illustrated by Charles KeepingThe Life Of Our Lord illustrated by Charles KeepingThe Life Of Our Lord illustrated by Charles KeepingThe Life Of Our Lord illustrated by Charles KeepingThe Life Of Our Lord illustrated by Charles KeepingThe Life Of Our Lord illustrated by Charles Keeping Charles Keeping ‘The tale of ancient Israel’ 1969 Charles Keeping ‘The tale of ancient Israel’ 1969 Charles Keeping ‘The tale of ancient Israel’ 1969 Charles Keeping ‘The tale of ancient Israel’ 1969 Charles Keeping ‘The tale of ancient Israel’ 1969 Charles Keeping ‘The tale of ancient Israel’ 1969 Charles Keeping ‘The tale of ancient Israel’ 1969 Charles Keeping From the book ‘The Golden Age & Dream Days’ 1962 Charles Keeping From the book ‘The Golden Age & Dream Days’ 1962 Charles Keeping From the book ‘The Golden Age & Dream Days’ 1962 Charles Keeping From the book ‘The Golden Age & Dream Days’ 1962 Charles Keeping From the book ‘The Golden Age & Dream Days’ 1962 Charles Keeping From the book ‘The Golden Age & Dream Days’ 1962 Charles Keeping From the book ‘The Golden Age & Dream Days’ 1962 Charles Keeping From the book ‘The Golden Age & Dream Days’ 1962 Charles Keeping for ‘Patrick Kentigern Keenan’ 1963 US title ‘The smartest man in Ireland’Charles Keeping for ‘Patrick Kentigern Keenan’ 1963 US title ‘The smartest man in Ireland’Charles Keeping for ‘Patrick Kentigern Keenan’ 1963 US title ‘The smartest man in Ireland’Charles Keeping for ‘Patrick Kentigern Keenan’ 1963 US title ‘The smartest man in Ireland’Charles Keeping for ‘Patrick Kentigern Keenan’ 1963 US title ‘The smartest man in Ireland’Charles Keeping for ‘Patrick Kentigern Keenan’ 1963 US title ‘The smartest man in Ireland’Charles Keeping for ‘Patrick Kentigern Keenan’ 1963 US title ‘The smartest man in Ireland’Charles Keeping for ‘Patrick Kentigern Keenan’ 1963 US title ‘The smartest man in Ireland’Charles Keeping for ‘Patrick Kentigern Keenan’ 1963 US title ‘The smartest man in Ireland’
To live up to his boast of being the smartest man in Ireland, Patrick Kentigern Keenan will do anything–he’ll even try to outwit the fairies. When the first three battles of wits end in draws, the fairies enchant Patrick’s son. To win back his boy, Patrick will have to prove once and for all that he is not only the smartest man in Ireland, but the bravest as well. “An exhilarating adventure-fantasy with real Irish flavor . . . imagination, humor, gaiety and some underlying sadness.”
The New York Times Book Review
Flood Warning 1960 editionHighway Man by Charles KeepingCharles Keeping All Quiet on the Western Front 1966Charles Keeping All Quiet on the Western Front 1966Charles Keeping All Quiet on the Western Front 1966Charles Keeping All Quiet on the Western Front 1966The Castle of Otranto, Horace Walpole illustration by Charles Keeping “Sot!” cried Manfred in a rage; “is it only a ghost, then, that thou hast seen?” “Oh! worse! worse! my Lord,” cried Diego: “I had rather have seen ten whole ghosts.”
