Edward+J+Detmold

Edward Julius Detmold, born in London in 1883, shared an equal facility for illustration and engraving with his twin brother, Charles Maurice, until the latter's tragic suicide by poison at twenty-five. The boys were educated by an uncle whose knowledge of natural history fostered their inherent inclination and aptitude. At thirteen they were already exhibiting at the Royal Academy. Edward Burne-Jones praised their work but advised against the restrictive routine of art school. They soon began experimenting with etching and saved money from their earliest sales to buy a printing press, from which they did their own proofs at home. Both were admirers of Dulrer but were influenced considerably by the current vogue of Japanese color-prints. They frequently collaborated on a single harmonious plate and jointly illustrated Kipling's The Jungle Book (1903). After his brother's death Edward Julius continued illustrating animals, insects and plants usually in water-colors, for the gift book trade, and did wood and copper engraving. His subjects, while biologically accurate in detail, were often placed in a surrealistic setting or incongruous juxtaposition, creating a dreamlike phenomenon.

The Owl and the Birds
Fables of Aesop HODDER & STOUGHTON 1909