#benjamin britten

Wood Engraving Wednesday

John Craig

Here are a few wood engravings of landscapes by the English wood engraver and illustrator John Craig from his 1997 book Britten's Aldeburgh printed in Risbury, England at the Whittington Press in an edition of 440 copies signed by the artist. The book, which textually and graphically follows the walking routes of English composer Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) in his coastal Suffolk hometown of Aldeburgh, includes 81 wood engravings and three 2-color linocuts. Britten is known to have composed works on his regular walks in the Aldeburgh vicinity.

John Craig himself is from an illustrious artistic family. His sister Helen Craig is a noted English children's book illustrator and writer. Both are the children of film art designer and illustrator Edward Carrick (born Edward Anthony Craig), whose parents were the theater maker and wood engraver Edward Gordon Craig, the son of famous English actress Ellen Terry and architect Edward Godwin, and violinist Elena Meo, the daughter of Italian-British artist Gaetano Meo.

Our copy of Britten's Aldeburgh is a donation from the estate of our late friend Dennis Bayuzick.

View more posts with wood engravings!