C Walter Hodges was Illustrator of early Rosemary Sutcliff historical novels

Frontispiece Rosemay Sutcliff's The Eagle of the NinthC. Walter Hodges who illustrated some of Rosemary Sutcliff‘s early novels, including The Queen Elizabeth Story (1950), The Eagle of the Ninth  (1954), and The Shield Ring (1956) died in 2004. I recently came across  his obituary in The Independent newspaper. Some sections spoke in particular of his illustration work.

One of the outstanding author-illustrators of his time, C. Walter Hodges was also a leading scholar of the Shakespearean theatre. Hard-working to the point of perfectionism, he had a gentle demeanour and unfailingly sweet temper that brought him universal popularity in addition to well-earned professional respect. Illustrating over a hundred books while also writing a number of them himself, he played an important part in the general renaissance of children’s literature since 1945. Read More »

Rosemary Sutcliff historical novel Warrior Scarlet | SZKARŁAT WOJOWNIKA | Polish edition

Rosemary Sutcliff’s wonderful Warrior Scarlet (SZKARŁAT WOJOWNIKA in Polish) has a cover illustration in Poland which is a new one on me!

Cover of Polish Warrior Scarlet edition

I found it via ebay.

SZKARŁAT WOJOWNIKA | Rosemary Sutcliff historical novel Warrior Scarlet | Polish edition

This cover of a Polish edition of Rosemary Sutcliff’s wonderful Warrior Scarlet is a new one on me! I found it via ebay.

Cover of Polish Warrior Scarlet edition

Illustrator C. Walter Hodges illustrated Rosemary Sutcliff books

A while back I noted that English illustrator Cyril Walter Hodges, known as C. Walter Hodges (1909-2004),  worked on Rosemary Sutcliff’s early books. Born in Beckenham and educated at Dulwich College and Goldsmiths’ College, he spent most of his career as a freelance illustrator. He wrote:

Rosemary Sutcliff I also liked very much. Her work was very good, though rather sweet, but that was because she was very crippled. As soon as I met her I realised where this romantic sweetness came from. . . . When illustrating her books one realised that one was responsible to her for what one was doing in her name. After I’d illustrated some Sutcliff novels, other artists like Charles Keeping illustrated her work and to my mind, did a much better job. I was very envious of Keeping—I thought he did marvellous drawings. I knew I could never do it like that!

Source:  Mathew Eve’s article  ‘C. Walter Hodges: A Life Illustrating History Children’s Literature’ in the journal Education (Vol. 35, No. 2, June 2004)

Charles Keeping illustrates Rosemary Sutcliff book Heroes and History

Heroes and History Charles Keeping Illustration