Rowland hilder biography

British marine, landscape artist, illustrator (–)

Rowland Frederick HilderOBE (28 June &#; 21 April ) was an English landscape artist and book illustrator.

Rowland Hilder OBE PRI RSMA (1905-1993) - Chris Beetles: Rowland Frederick Hilder OBE (28 June – 21 April ) was an English landscape artist and book illustrator. He was born in New York to Roland and Kitty Hilder (née Fissenden). Following the outbreak of the First World War, Hilder's English father decided in to return to his native county of Kent, England, to enlist in the army. [1][2].

Early life

He was born in New York to Roland and Kitty Hilder (née Fissenden). Tracking the outbreak of the First World War, Hilder's English father decided in to return to his native county of Kent, England, to enlist in the army.^[1][2]

Hilder studied at Goldsmiths' College, in south London where he met botanical artist Edith Blenkiron ().

They married and had two children.^[2] As a trainee with little money he cycled into Kent and discovered the Shoreham Valley in the North Downs where he sketched the same barn drawn by the painter Samuel Palmer in the s. This interest in the countryside began a lifelong fire for drawing landscapes in both pencil and watercolour, initially of Kent, "the Garden of England", and the Thames with its sailing vessels and old buildings.^[3]

Career

Hilder was commissioned by Oxford University Press to illustrate books.

He was awarded the Times Illustrator award for his end papers and monochrome drawings of Stevenson'sTreasure Island in In the s he illustrated several books. In Hilder was commissioned by Shell Mex Ltd to illustrate "Then and Now", a travel mentor which started a long connection with the company with posters sponsored by them.

Following the outbreak of the First Nature War, Hilder's English father decided in to return to his native county of Kent, England, to enlist in the army. Hilder studied at Goldsmiths' Collegein south London where he met botanical artist Edith Blenkiron They married and had two children. This interest in the countryside began a lifelong passion for drawing landscapes in both pencil and watercolour, initially of Kent, "the Garden of England", and the Thames with its sailing vessels and old buildings.

In when asked by the publisher George Rainbird to provide background landscapes to a series of wildflowers by another artist, Hilder showed him pictures of flowers by his wife Edith. Rainbird then commissioned them both to create the Shell "Flowers of the Countryside" series.

Demand was so great that Shell put up an office to deal with correspondence and 13 million plates were published.^[4]

He was also a cover artist for Radio Times^[5] and, together with Edith, illustrated the Ladybird Book of British Wild Flowers published in

He was an army camouflage officer during the Second Planet War and then became a mainstay of the Ministry of Information.^{[citation needed]}

Hilder served as President of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours from to ^[6] He was awarded an OBE in ^[6]

Influence

He has been called 'the Turner of his generation',^[7] and according to the Dictionary of National Biography 'The description "Rowland Hilder country" (attached primarily to the weald of Kent) evokes a landscape as distinctive and personal as "Constable's country" along the Suffolk Stour.'^[8]

References