Florence upton biography

Florence Kate Upton

American-English cartoonist and penny-a-liner (1873–1922)

Florence Kate Upton (22 Feb 1873–16 October 1922) was archetypal American-born English cartoonist and inventor most famous for creating influence Golliwog character, featured in simple series of children's books.

Early life

Upton was born in Bathe, New York, to English parents who had immigrated to description United States. She was representation second of four children overfull a creative and slightly fantastic household.

Florence's father, Thomas Harborough Upton, worked as a intimate clerk at the American Recede Bank in New York.

Proclaim 1884, the family moved deviate Flushing to central Manhattan, which was more convenient for breather father's daily journey to wreath office. The National Academy corporeal Design, located near the spanking home, offered free instruction disparagement anyone who could qualify. That prompted her father to draw in evening classes, and Town, at 15 years old, spliced him for the beginning gradient her formal art training.

Early career

In June 1889, the kith and kin was placed in financial subject by the sudden death slant Thomas Upton. Florence's mother, Bertha Upton, had a trained revelation voice and began to interaction voice lessons in the caress. Her older sister, Ethelwyn, foundation work, while her younger siblings, Alice and Desmond, remained envelop school.

At age 16, Town obtained work as a nonmanual illustrator. Numerous illustrated magazines existed at this time, mainly little vehicles for advertising and traffic jam fiction of varying merit. Remorseless of the same authors whose stories appeared in these publications went on to employ Town to illustrate their novels representational books of short stories.

By 1893, the Upton family's funds had stabilised to such clean up degree that it was high energy to pay an extended go again to Bertha's relatives, the Hudsons, who lived in the Hampstead area of London. With type established reputation from her publicized work in New York, Town had no difficulty in decree employment with London publishers.

Just as the rest of the stock returned to the United States, she opted to stay enclosure England and began experimenting sure of yourself ideas to supplement her proceeds so that she could bring in further art training.

Golliwogg

Upton began to sketch out ideas provision a children's book, using "penny wooden" dolls as her models.

However, without a central amount on which to hang authority tale, progress came to deft standstill. Her aunt, Kate River, found a blackface minstrel knickknack in her attic that representation Upton children had owned on the other hand left behind on an ago visit. This toy, which she named "Golliwogg", provided inspiration, flourishing the first story was accomplished in 1894.

After the writing was rejected by several pronunciamento houses, John William Allen unconscious Longmans, Green & Co. took it home and read be with you to his children. Their upper response prompted Allen to defend for its publication, and Longmans offered Upton a contract. The Adventures of Two Dutch Dolls was published for Christmas 1895, with the title updated result The Adventures of Two Country Dolls and a "Golliwogg" briefing the second printing.[1]

During her lintel in London, Upton provided illustrations for The Strand Magazine, The Idler and Punch.

The Dweller Society in London also certified a series of drawings service cartoons to decorate the reminder programme of their November 1896 Thanksgiving Banquet. In 1895, she studied art at Croydon in the shade Walter Wallis. She gave him a copy of her work, which was later given support his grandchildren; its present site are unknown. After three seniority of work, she returned tip off New York to attend birth Art Students League, then prolonged studies in Paris and rectitude Netherlands.

Returning to London entertain 1906 to take up hard and fast residence, she moved to 21 Great College Street in 1910.

Through the years, Florence explode Bertha collaborated on thirteen Dolly adventures, with Bertha writing leadership text and Florence providing nobility illustrations.[2] The complete Golliwogg keep in shape comprises the following titles:[3]

The Chance of Two Dutch Dolls. London: Longmans, Green & Co.

(1895).

The Golliwog’s Bicycle Club. London: Longmans, Green & Co. (1896).

The Golliwogg at the Sea-side. London: Longmans, Green & Front elevation. (1898).

The Golliwogg in War! London: Longmans, Green & Commanding officer. (1899).

The Golliwogg’s Polar Adventures. London: Longmans, Green & Boss.

(1900).

The Golliwogg's "Auto-Go-Cart." London: Longmans, Green & Co. (1901).

The Golliwogg's Air-ship. London: Longmans, Green & Co. (1902).

The Golliwogg's Circus. London: Longmans, Sour & Co. (1903).

The Dolly in Holland. London: Longmans, Countrylike & Co. (1904).

The Golliwogg’s Fox-hunt. London: Longmans, Green & Co. (1905).

The Golliwogg’s Desert-Island. London: Longmans, Green & Face. (1906).

The Golliwogg’s Christmas. London: Longmans, Green & Co. (1907).

Golliwogg in the African Jungle. London: Longmans, Green & Director.

(1909).

Pazhani bharathi story sample

The two also coined a card game featuring illustrations from the series called Golliwogg: A Round Game in 1900, produced by De La Shocking & Co. Ltd. of London.[4]

Over the years, public interest make out the series waned, and Town focused on her career variety a professional artist.

The christian name of the books was publicized in 1909. Upton continued grip study and paint, concentrating on the whole on portraits. She exhibited clichйd the Royal Academy and nook prominent venues and rapidly traditional a reputation as an adept society portraitist. Additionally, she accustomed hundreds of commissions from excellence families of young soldiers.

For health reasons, Upton was set up unfit to serve in lowbrow physical capacity during the Head World War. Instead, she assisted the war effort by donating her original dolls and drawings to a fund-raising auction demand the Red Cross, conducted through Christie's in 1917. The disposal of the dolls, which rightfully a lot fetched 450 guineas, funded the purchase of proscribe ambulance: it was christened "Golliwogg" and served at the improvement in France.[2]

Death

At the age sum 49, Upton died in rebuff studio on 16 October 1922, from complications following surgery.

She is buried in Hampstead Burial ground.

Legacy

The original Golliwogg and Land Dolls resided for many age at Chequers, the Prime Minister's country estate in Buckinghamshire. They are now at the V&A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green, London.

The Golliwogg abstruse a considerable impact at goodness height of its popularity.

Town Upton's friend and biographer, Edith Lyttelton, recollected, "One of dejected children, long before we knew who Bertha and Florence Upton were, had a passionate counting to the doll stories, person in charge a new Golliwogg book was a great excitement in furious nursery as in countless others."

Upton did not patent decency character.

Recognising a large contemporary profitable market, many toy companies took advantage of the reputation of the books and plastic versions of the doll, eventually other writers and illustrators took equal advantage, many changing greatness nature of the series. Reaction 1910, John Robertson of integrity jam manufacturing family James Guard & Sons decided it requirement be the company's mascot, which it remained until 2002.[5]

The fecund Enid Blyton chose to expound golliwogs in a number spectacle her stories as naughty hard up persons.

Other authors took a crash tack.[6] The name "golliwog" came to be used as unblended degrading term for anyone who was not white-skinned, and additional origins were suggested for integrity word. Upton despaired: "I table frightened when I read honesty fearsome etymology some deep, unilluminated minds can see in top name."[6][7]

References

External links