 |
& Drawings for |
|
|
|
|
|
PORTRAITS | |
|
|
|
LATIN |
|
|
& Drawings for |
In 1961, Gotham Press needed an artist to illustrate a new book by L. Sprague DeCamp, the author of over 100 other books on science, history and science fiction. Man and Power was to be a comprehensive pictorial overview of mankind's discovery and use of energy sources -- ranging from the building of the pyramids to the harnessing of the atom.
Antique manuscripts and drawings -- as well as modern photographs -- had been assembled to illustrate the text, but many gaps existed in the flow of visual information that the book was designed to present. Since the text was to occupy only a small fraction of book's 200 pages, the accuracy and attractiveness of the images were of paramount importance.
A decade earlier "when LIFE magazine decided to run an illustrated series titled The Epic of Man in the 1950's, its art director faced more than the usual problems attendant on such a project: one of the sections was to deal with Neolithic Man. Although he interviewed many illustrator applicants, they failed to meet all his requirements. They were all good artists, but this assignment would take the combined skills of an anthropologist, archeologist, engineer and historian; in addition to those of a seasoned painter capable of finely detailed and accurate illustration. Where was he to find such a latter-day Leonardo?"
(American Artist, 5/65 )
Once again Tobey, with his reputation as not only an accomplished artist but also as an inveterate researcher, was chosen for the Man and Power book. For it, he executed over three dozen illustrations, some of which are presented here.
A number of the scenes Tobey created for the book were complete oil paintings, such as the one shown above, which is of a predecessor to James Watt's steam engine invented by Thomas Newcomen, a famous engineer from Dartmouth. His engines were used in the 18th century to increase the supply of drinking water.
 |
 |
 |
 |
The four Tobey creations above: the boats in parts of Wind Power, the battle scene in Warfare, and the coach in Animal Power were paintings that Tobey created in styles to match original antiquarian works on paper that were used as source illustrations elsewhere in the book.
 |
 |
A history of battle includes these two detailed Tobey paintings of three kinds of catapults, used by the Romans in their siege of enemy forts and encampments.
 |
 |
 |
ABOVE LEFT: The artist's sketch of a crossbow, that stores an archer's energy until he is ready to shoot.
ABOVE CENTER: Early use of animal power in the form of mules pulling a mill wheel dates from the 12th Century.
ABOVE RIGHT: Sketch depicting a scythe-equipped chariot, an Italian design from around 1450.
Many other sketches and drawings in antiques styles, such as the ones shown above were executed by the artist for the book; in addition to many modern ones, shown below.
TOP ROW ABOVE: Left to right: Fourneyron's turbine; a 1956 atomic reactor; a two-cycle diesel engine; the Newcomen engine
BOTTOM ROW ABOVE: Left to right: a Kaplan turbine; an Otto engine; a Pelton wheel; a Francis turbine.
 |
 |
Tobey was an artist with an indefatigable interest in all things scientific. His library was packed with back issues of Scientific American, Popular Mechanics and hundreds of books from which he drew information on the many projects, both ancient and modern, that he pursued in creating his paintings. His dedication to accuracy in every project he undertook was a hallmark of his personal as well as his artistic integrity.
"When you're painting history you're accurate or there's no point to it. It's a document for the future."
---Alton Tobey
[ RETURN TO MAIN "PUBLISHED WORKS" PAGE ]
