ARDIZZONE, Edward

"creative imagination ..[is]..stimulated by ideas and stories rather than by things seen"

Despite being born in China to a French National of Italian descent, Ardizzone’s work is quintessentially English. His style is one of loose sketches, heavily cross hatched and often coloured using a bright palette. His subjects are frequently ordinary people in ordinary settings and his style makes them full of movement. Ardizzone gave up work as a clerk in 1927, deciding he wanted to be an artist. His appalled father sent him on a European tour (his sketching in Venice undoubtedly influenced his later work The Lion That Flew.) Initially work was hard to come by, but he found commercial success in the world of book illustration. Making up adventure stories for his children led to the series of Tim books, which were both written and illustrated by him. In 1956 he won the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal for Tim All Alone.

Please scroll down to view our current holdings of first editions and signed copies by Ardizzone.