[9 portraits: including John Huston, Kipling and Hardy]

Offered for sale by Adam Langlands of 'Shadowrock Rare Books' - for more information please contact him via email at [email protected] 

John SEWELL  (1925-1981, artist, illustrator, film-maker, poet and author). [A small collection of nine portraits of well-known figures from the worlds of literature, the theater and film]. [UK: circa 1970-1981]. Various sizes and mediums [see below].

1.John Huston, pencil, 10 x 7in; 254 x 178mm (clean tear).

2.Unidentified gentleman dressed in the fashion of circa 1800-1830, pen and ink, 11 ¼ x 9 1/4in; 285 x 235mm, light blue-toned paper

3.Dr. Jonathan Miller, pen and ink,  11 ¼ x 9in; 285 x 229mm, light blue-toned paper

4.Dr. Jonathan Miller, pen and ink, red wash 11 x 8 ¾ in; 280 x 222mm

5.Thomas Hardy, pen and ink,  11 ¾ x 8 ¼ in; 298 x 210mm

6.Rudyard Kipling [#1], pen and ink, ,  11 ¾ x 8 ¼ in; 298 x 210mm

7.Rudyard Kipling [#2], pen and ink, , 11 ¾ x 8 ¼ in; 298 x 210mm

8.Unidentified gentleman dressed in the fashion of circa 1850-1870, pen and ink, 11 ¼ x 9 1/4in; 285 x 235mm.

9.George Bernard Shaw, pen, ink and watercolor, 12 x 9 in; 305 x 228mm).

An interesting selection from an under-appreciated but influential figure in the field of graphic design in the UK.

“John Sewell was one of the most talented students to have studied graphic design at the Royal College of Art. He was the acknowledged star of his generation … he was that rarity, a real artist, and one with whom the College is proud to be associated. There is little doubt that this pungent talent had a far greater influence on his contemporaries than his innate modesty allowed him to see. It was an influence central to the generation, and to the astonishing upsurge, of graphic design in this country since the war.” (written in December 1981 by Professor Richard Guyatt [1914-2007], Rector of the Royal College or Art).

Curriculum Vitae of John Sewell A R C A
1948 - 51 - Hornsey College of Art
1951-54 - Royal College of Art; Illustration under Edward Bawden; Graphic Design under F H K Henrion First class Diploma; Major Travelling Scholarship; Graphic Design medal; Typography prize
1955- Consultant to BBC Television to improve quality of programmes
titles, drawing, typography, graphic film on the screen;
1956- founded, and was Head of, BBC TV Graphic Art Section.
1958- freelance practice in Graphic Design and Illustration for numerous clients, Shell, Sunday Times, Faber, Penguin, Books, New Society, Bodley Head, Chatto & Windus, Heinemann, Calder, Boyars, Weidenfeld, Roche, etc, etc
1958- Consultant Designer to Better Books, creating its new look, House Style, Shop design, publicity, etc, Consultant to City Books; ditto,
1960- Consultant to Bumpus; ditto.
1961- Retained by Penguin Books to give book covers a new Look; designed and illustrated many series, Penguin Crime, Law, Modern Writing, etc.
1961- Tutor in Graphic Design at the Royal College of Art.
1967 - 71 - Senior Lecturer in Television Production at Ravensbourne College of Art. tv production, scripts, photography, etc.
1977- wrote, illustrated, published children's book, Professor Invento and His Best Invention (Heinemann) .
1981- continuing with freelance graphic design and illustration; continuing to paint and write; continuing to work for television.