Josiah Wood Whymper (1813–1903) stands as a significant, if sometimes overlooked, figure in the rich tapestry of 19th-century British art. A highly skilled wood engraver, a talented watercolourist, and an influential teacher, Whymper's career spanned a period of immense change and flourishing in the British art world, particularly in the realm of illustration and printmaking. His meticulous craftsmanship, his deep appreciation for the natural world, and his role in nurturing a new generation of artists cement his place as a noteworthy contributor to Victorian visual culture.
Early Life and Artistic Awakening
Born in the historic town of Ipswich, Suffolk, in 1813, Josiah Wood Whymper's early life set the stage for a lifelong engagement with the arts. While details of his very earliest artistic inclinations are not extensively documented, it is known that his family environment was conducive to creative pursuits; his father was himself a watercolour painter, providing an early, albeit perhaps informal, exposure to artistic practice. Ipswich, with its picturesque surroundings and maritime heritage, likely offered ample inspiration for a young, observant mind.
Whymper's formal artistic journey began with an apprenticeship in sculpture. This foundational training, though he would not pursue sculpture as his primary medium, would have instilled in him a strong sense of form, three-dimensionality, and the discipline of working with materials. However, his true calling lay elsewhere. Drawn towards the graphic arts, he soon transitioned to painting and, crucially, to the intricate art of wood engraving.
The London Art Scene and the Rise of Wood Engraving
By the early 1830s, Whymper had made the pivotal move to London, the bustling epicentre of the British art world and publishing industry. This was a period when wood engraving was experiencing a remarkable resurgence and popularisation, largely due to the technical innovations and artistic achievements of Thomas Bewick (1753–1828) at the turn of the century. Bewick, a naturalist and engraver from Northumberland, had revolutionised the medium by using dense boxwood cut across the end grain and employing fine engraving tools, allowing for unprecedented detail and tonal variation. His "white-line" technique, where the image is created by cutting away the non-printing areas, became the standard.
Whymper emerged as a true inheritor of Bewick's tradition. He quickly demonstrated a remarkable aptitude for wood engraving, a demanding craft requiring precision, patience, and a keen eye. In London, he established a wood engraving business, a venture he initially shared with his brother, Ebenezer Whymper. Their firm rapidly gained a reputation for producing high-quality engravings, catering to the burgeoning demand for illustrations in books, periodicals, and scientific publications.
Mastery in Wood Engraving: Technique and Subjects
Josiah Wood Whymper's skill as a wood engraver was characterized by its clarity, fine detail, and sympathetic rendering of subjects, particularly those drawn from nature. He possessed an exceptional ability to translate the textures of feathers, fur, foliage, and landscapes into the black and white medium of the print. His lines were crisp, his tonal gradations subtle, and his compositions well-balanced.
His engravings often served the purpose of scientific accuracy as much as aesthetic appeal. This was particularly evident in his ornithological work. The Victorian era saw a surge in interest in natural history, and beautifully illustrated books on birds, animals, and plants were highly sought after. Whymper became one of the foremost engravers in this field, his work prized for its fidelity to nature. He understood the importance of conveying not just the appearance of a bird, for example, but also its characteristic posture and habitat.
A Flourishing Career in Illustration
The mid-19th century was a golden age for illustrated publications in Britain. The growth of a literate middle class, coupled with advances in printing technology, led to an explosion in the number of illustrated books and magazines. Whymper's talents were perfectly suited to this environment. His engraving workshop was highly productive, and his work appeared in a wide array of publications.
He provided numerous illustrations for the Illustrated London News, a pioneering weekly illustrated newspaper founded in 1842, which brought visual reportage to a mass audience. His contributions, beginning around 1855, would have covered a diverse range of subjects, from current events to scenes of daily life. He also contributed extensively to religious periodicals such as The Sunday at Home, a publication of the Religious Tract Society, from 1869 onwards. These illustrations often depicted biblical scenes, moral tales, or serene landscapes, designed to be both edifying and aesthetically pleasing.
Illustrating the Natural World: Key Commissions
One of Whymper's most significant contributions to ornithological illustration was his work for the Reverend Charles Alexander Johns's British Birds in their Haunts (1862). For this popular and enduring work, Whymper's workshop produced hundreds of wood engravings. Many of these were based on drawings by the renowned German-born bird artist Joseph Wolf (1820–1899), whose lifelike and dynamic depictions of animals set a new standard. Whymper's role was to translate Wolf's often subtle drawings and watercolours into the precise lines and tones of the woodblock, a task he executed with consummate skill, ensuring that the scientific accuracy and artistic vitality of the originals were preserved.
Another notable work was Phenomena of Nature: The Rainbow (1849). This publication, featuring a series of coloured wood engravings, demonstrated Whymper's versatility and his ability to tackle scientific subjects with clarity and visual appeal. The thirty plates, each accompanied by a brief description, aimed to explain natural phenomena like the rainbow to a general audience, blending education with artistry.
Whymper's engravings also graced the pages of important travel and exploration narratives. He contributed to the illustration of David Livingstone's Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa (1857), a hugely influential book that captivated the British public with its accounts of African landscapes, peoples, and wildlife. He also provided illustrations for Henry Walter Bates's The Naturalist on the River Amazons (1863), another landmark work of natural history exploration. These commissions underscore the trust placed in Whymper's ability to accurately and engagingly depict unfamiliar scenes and species for a curious public.
The Art of Watercolour
Alongside his prolific career as a wood engraver, Josiah Wood Whymper was also a highly accomplished watercolour painter. He had studied the medium under William Collingwood Smith (1815–1887), a prominent watercolourist and teacher. Whymper's watercolours often depicted landscapes, rural scenes, and coastal views, rendered with a sensitivity to atmosphere, light, and colour.
His style in watercolour was characterized by its delicacy, careful observation, and often, a tranquil, picturesque quality. Works such as The Woodcutters (1865), a watercolour measuring 26.5 x 53.5 cm, showcase his ability to capture scenes of rural labour within a beautifully rendered natural setting. Another example, Coming Home, was exhibited at the New Society of Painters in Water Colours annual exhibition in 1842, indicating his early activity and recognition in this medium. His depiction of Rock of Bamborough with Castle further illustrates his interest in capturing iconic British landscapes and historical sites.
Whymper was an active participant in the London watercolour scene. He was elected an associate of the New Society of Painters in Water Colours (later the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours) in 1854 and became a full member in 1857. He exhibited regularly with this society, as well as at the Royal Academy and the Society of British Artists, demonstrating his commitment to watercolour as a serious artistic pursuit alongside his engraving work.
A Teacher and Mentor: The "Sixties School"
Josiah Wood Whymper's influence extended beyond his own artistic output; he was also a significant teacher and mentor. His engraving studio became a training ground for a number of young artists who would go on to achieve considerable fame, particularly those associated with the "Sixties School" of illustrators. This informal group of artists, active primarily in the 1860s, is renowned for producing some of the finest black-and-white illustrations of the Victorian era, characterized by their strong draughtsmanship, narrative power, and often, a Pre-Raphaelite intensity or a keen observation of contemporary life.
Among Whymper's most distinguished pupils were:
Frederick Walker, ARA, RWS (1840–1875): Walker, who apprenticed with Whymper for a period, became celebrated for his idyllic and often poignant depictions of rural life in both watercolour and oil, as well as for his influential illustrations for periodicals like Once a Week and The Cornhill Magazine. His work often possessed a classical grace combined with a modern sensibility.
Charles Samuel Keene (1823–1891): Keene, another of Whymper's notable apprentices, developed a distinctive, vigorous, and often humorous style that made him one of Punch magazine's most celebrated artists for decades. His ability to capture character and everyday life with a few deft strokes was unparalleled, and his work is admired for its naturalism and lack of sentimentality.
John William North, ARA, RWS (1842–1924): North, who also trained under Whymper, became known for his poetic and minutely detailed landscape watercolours and illustrations. His work often displayed a deep love for the English countryside and a meticulous attention to natural detail, sometimes echoing Pre-Raphaelite aesthetics.
George John Pinwell, RWS (1842–1875): Pinwell, whose promising career was tragically cut short by early death, was another artist who benefited from Whymper's tutelage. He produced some of the most emotionally resonant and beautifully designed illustrations of the era, characterized by their decorative quality and sensitive portrayal of human figures and situations.
The training these artists received in Whymper's studio would have been rigorous, emphasizing the technical demands of drawing for wood engraving, where clarity of line and effective use of black and white were paramount. Whymper's guidance helped to shape a generation of illustrators whose work significantly elevated the status of British book and magazine illustration. Other prominent illustrators of this "Golden Age" included figures like Arthur Boyd Houghton, Frederick Sandys, and even established painters like John Everett Millais and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, whose designs were often engraved by master craftsmen such as the Dalziel Brothers. Whymper's role as a trainer places him firmly within this important artistic milieu.
The Alpine Connection: Art, Exploration, and Family
Josiah Wood Whymper's life and work were also touched by the Victorian fascination with mountaineering, largely through his famous son, Edward Whymper (1840–1911). Edward was a renowned mountaineer, explorer, author, and illustrator, best known for leading the first successful ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865.
Josiah Wood Whymper engraved many of the illustrations for his son Edward's celebrated book, Scrambles Amongst the Alps in the Years 1860-69 (published 1871). Edward himself was a skilled draughtsman and engraver, having initially trained in his father's firm. The illustrations in Scrambles, many based on Edward's own sketches, are iconic depictions of Alpine scenery and the perils and triumphs of mountaineering. Josiah's contribution to engraving these dramatic scenes further highlights his versatility and the close artistic connection within the family.
Josiah Wood Whymper was also involved with the Alpine Club, founded in London in 1857, serving as its Vice-President for a period. This connection underscores his personal interest in the landscapes and challenges that so captivated his son and many of their contemporaries.
Personal Life and Character
While a successful and respected artist, Josiah Wood Whymper appears to have been a somewhat reserved and private individual. Some accounts describe him as having a solitary disposition, perhaps finding more companionship in the meticulous demands of his art or the quiet observation of nature than in bustling social circles.
It is said that the tragic events surrounding his son Edward's first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 deeply affected Josiah. During the descent, a rope broke, and four members of the climbing party plunged to their deaths. While Edward survived, the disaster cast a long shadow. It is plausible that this tragedy reinforced any pre-existing tendencies towards introspection in the elder Whymper. His preference for the "desolate grandeur of the Alpine peaks" over human company, as noted in some biographical sketches, might reflect this aspect of his character, intensified by such profound personal experiences.
Artistic Affiliations and Recognition
Throughout his long career, Josiah Wood Whymper was an active member of the London art establishment, maintaining affiliations with several important societies. As mentioned, he was a prominent member of the New Society of Painters in Water Colours (later the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours). He also exhibited with the Royal Academy, the premier art institution in Britain, and was a member of the Society of British Artists. His membership and regular exhibition with these bodies signify his standing among his peers and his consistent contribution to the artistic life of the capital. He was also, for a time, a member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, indicating his experimentation or practice in that medium as well, though he is far better known for watercolour and engraving.
Whymper's Enduring Artistic Style
Revisiting Whymper's artistic style, two distinct but complementary facets emerge. In wood engraving, his work is characterized by its precision, clarity, and fidelity. He was a master of the white-line technique, capable of achieving a wide range of textures and tones. His engravings, whether depicting the delicate plumage of a bird, the ruggedness of a mountain landscape, or the character in a human face, are marked by their technical excellence and careful observation. He successfully balanced the informational requirements of scientific illustration with a genuine artistic sensibility.
In watercolour, Whymper's style was more lyrical and atmospheric. He favoured traditional landscape subjects, rendered with a delicate touch and an appreciation for the nuances of light and colour. His watercolours evoke the picturesque beauty of the British countryside and coastal scenes, reflecting the prevailing tastes of the Victorian era for romantic and naturalistic landscapes. Artists like Myles Birket Foster (1825-1899), with his charming depictions of rural England, worked in a similar vein, and Whymper's watercolours share some of that popular appeal, though often with a more robust and less sentimental quality.
Legacy and Historical Significance
Josiah Wood Whymper died in Haslemere, Surrey, in 1903, at the venerable age of 90. He left behind a substantial body of work and a significant legacy. His primary contribution lies in the field of wood engraving, where he was a leading practitioner during its mid-Victorian heyday. His illustrations for books on natural history, travel, and for popular periodicals helped to shape the visual understanding of the world for a wide audience. He upheld the high standards of craftsmanship established by Bewick and adapted them to the evolving demands of 19th-century publishing.
His role as a teacher was also crucial. By training artists like Frederick Walker, Charles Keene, J.W. North, and G.J. Pinwell, he played an instrumental part in the development of the "Sixties School," a high point in British illustration. These artists, in turn, influenced subsequent generations.
While perhaps not as revolutionary an innovator as Bewick, nor as singularly famous as some of the painters he associated with (like perhaps Sir John Gilbert, another prolific illustrator and painter), Whymper was a consummate professional, a versatile artist, and a dedicated craftsman. His work is a testament to the skill and artistry involved in wood engraving, a medium that, while largely superseded by photographic processes by the end of his life, was central to the dissemination of images and knowledge throughout much of the 19th century.
Today, Josiah Wood Whymper's engravings are valued by collectors and art historians for their technical mastery and their charming depiction of Victorian life and the natural world. His watercolours, though less widely known than his prints, are appreciated for their quiet beauty and skilled execution. He remains an important figure for understanding the landscape of 19th-century British art, particularly the vital and often underappreciated field of illustration. His dedication to his craft, his love for nature, and his influence on his students ensure his enduring place in art history.
Conclusion
Josiah Wood Whymper's long and productive career exemplifies the dedication and skill of the Victorian artist-craftsman. From the bustling workshops of London to the serene landscapes he captured in watercolour, and through the dramatic Alpine scenes he helped bring to life in print, Whymper's art reflects a deep engagement with the world around him. As a master engraver, he brought clarity and beauty to countless publications, educating and delighting a vast readership. As a watercolourist, he captured the subtle charms of the British scene. And as a teacher, he helped to foster a brilliant generation of illustrators. His work remains a valuable window into the artistic and cultural life of 19th-century Britain, a legacy of meticulous skill and quiet artistry.
