Libri e pubblicazioni dedicati alla Golden Age e all'illustrazione della prima metà del XX secolo.

Born in Naples in 1881, Fortunino Matania trained at his father's studio and illustrated his first book at the age of 14. He studied in Paris, Milan and London, where he worked on The Graphic. He returned to Italy at the age of 22 for military service in the Bersaglieri. He then returned to London where he joined the staff of The Sphere.

With the outbreak of World War I he became a war artist and spent nearly five years at the front drawing hundreds of sketches. His work was admired by military experts and critics alike for his technical accomplishment and scrupulous accuracy. His war art features in virtually every history or encyclopaedia of WW1 ever produced.

At the end of World War I Matania illustrated numerous ceremonies in London, including the coronation of Edward VII. During the first half of the 20th century he literally illustrated history as it happened. He was made a Chevalier of the Crown of Italy, and exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy and The Royal Institute of Art.

In his studio he maintained an enormous collection of artefacts to aid him in his work. He rarely made preliminary sketches, preferring to begin an elaborate illustration without previous preparation. It was as if he had a exact mental photograph of the art before he began to paint or draw. His reputation was such that he was visited in his studio in London by Annigoni, Russell Flint, and John Singer Sargent, and his work is collected and admired by many of today's greatest artists and illustrators.

He was an expert at historical scenes from all periods of history and his Ancient Roman and classical illustrations are particularly admired and collected. During WW2, many of his paintings and drawings were destroyed when his studio was bombed in the Blitz. He was so prolific, however, that many examples of his art still survive.

His pictures were published every week in Illustrazione Italiana from 1895 - 1902, in The Graphic from 1901 - 1904, and in The Sphere from 1904 to 1963. He also contributed regularly to Britannia & Eve, and The Passing Show, where his Edgar Rice Burroughs illustrations appeared amongst others. His work has been used in numerous magazines and books such as Look & Learn, London Life and many others.

This 96 page book features over 250 illustrations of original art and prints, all available for sale from illustrationartgallery.com. Acquired over a 15 year period the art presented here was used in preparation of the giant art book Drawing from History: The Forgotten Art of Fortunino Matania. Due to space considerations, some 125 illustrations in this Catalogue were omitted from the art book.

This is an ideal companion and a major art retrospective as well as being a useful reference and shopping list of art available to own.

This giant volume includes examples of his detailed and breathtaking art covering his whole career, with OVER 750 ILLUSTRATIONS, many taken directly from his original art.

Enjoy his meticulously accurate historical drawings and paintings of antiquity, the Roman era, British history and English Kings and Queens, his book illustrations for Kipling stories, Edgar Rice Burroughs stories and of course a major selection of his historic World War One illustrations for The Sphere as well as numerous other paintings and drawings from his prolific output.

His work inspired many contemporary artists: Annigoni and Russell Flint both visited his studio, and many comic strip artists collected his work including Al Williamson, Roy Krenkel, Frank Frazetta, John Bolton, Bernie Wrightson as well as film directors such as Cecil B DeMille and Alfred Hitchcock.

The British Royal family purchased his originals and John Singer Sargent admired and purchased one of his paintings at the Royal Academy. He was made a Chevalier of the Crown of Italy and exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy and Royal Institute of Art.

Lucinda Gosling, noted authority on Matania, provides a fascinating biographical introduction to his life and work, and world renowned illustrator James Gurney supplies a foreword.

Over 10 years in the making we are delighted to announce publication of the project which has been such a labour of love for the production team.

Demand for this book is very high and we are now taking advance orders for this much anticipated book.