John Jellicoe

Captain Webb's Sixty Hour Swim at the Westminster Aquarium

John Jellicoe's original drawing, Captain Webb's Sixty Hour Swim at the Westminster Aquarium was created by the fine British artist in 1880. On August 24th, 1875, Captain Matthew Webb attempted to become the first man to swim the English Channel. Almost twenty-two hours later he set foot on the coast of Calais. Webb's reward was instant fame and wherever he went he received a hero's welcome.

This original pen and ink drawing depicting Captain Webb's 'Sixty Hour Swim at the Westminster Aquarium' is drawn upon 'Reynold's Bristol Board' and with large, full margins. It is signed within the drawing to the lower right and titled and dated by the artist, John Jellicoe on the verso.

Captain Webb's Sixty Hour Swim Original Pen and Ink Drawing by John Jellicoe

Captain Webb's Sixty Hour Swim at the Westminster Aquarium

View other original works of art by the British artist, John Jellicoe.

John Jellicoe (London, 1843 - 1909)
#	Image	Title & Engraver	Medium	Date	Info	-
01-		Captain Webb's Sixty Hour Swim at the Westminster Aquarium by John Jellicoe	Original Pen and Ink Drawing	1880	Signed within the drawing to the lower right and titled and dated by the artist on the verso.
02.-		Melita at the Novelty Theatre by John Jellicoe	Original Pen and Ink Drawing	1882	Signed within the drawing to the lower right and titled and dated by the artist on the verso.
03.-		Sketches at Boscombe, Bournemouth by John Jellicoe	Original Pen and Ink Drawing	1893	Signed within the drawing to the lower right and titled and dated on the verso by the artist.
04.-		The Last of Jumbo by John Jellicoe	Original Pen and Ink Drawing	1882	Signed within the image by the artist and on the verso of the drawing he has written, "The Last of Jumbo/1st April, '82".	Sold

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Title:	Captain Webb's Sixty Hour Swim at the Westminster Aquarium
Artist:	Jellicoe, John (London, 1843 - 1909)
Date:	March 20th, 1880
Medium:	Original Pen and Ink Drawing
Note:	John Jellicoe: A fine figure painter and illustrator, John Jellicoe studied art in London and exhibited his first drawings there in 1865. During the following fifteen years he established a strong reputation for his pen and ink drawings, paintings and watercolours which were exhibited at the Society of British Artists and at the Royal Academy. John Jellicoe was most highly regarded in the genre of figure studies and he was frequently commissioned for his work by the Illustrated London News, St. Paul's, The Windsor Magazine and The Sporting and Dramatic News. John Jellicoe also illustrated a number of children's books such as, Queen of Beauty (1894) and Cherry and Violet (1897).
	This original pen and ink drawing by John Jellicoe was commissioned by The Sporting and Dramatic News, in London. As is usual with original drawings for journals of this time, one will find small pinprick marks in the outer margins. These are registration marks used for photomechanical reproduction and thus prove that this drawing was actually employed as an illustration for the magazine on the specific date of March 20th, 1880.
	John Jellicoe worked as a leading artist for The Sporting and Dramatic News for a period of over fifteen years. As the title indicates, this publication mainly dealt with entertainment and sports news of the day. John Jellicoe's drawings covered a wide range, from contemporary London theatrical events, depictions of popular English resorts and feats of sporting heroics. Captain Webb's Sixty Hour Swim at the Westminster Aquarium clearly falls into the latter category.
	Captain Matthew Webb (Dawley, Shropshire, 1848 - Niagara Falls, 1883): For a period of eight years newspapers described Captain Matthew Webb as "probably the best known and most popular man in the world". From a poor Shropshire family, Webb enlisted into a maritime career at the age of twelve. He eventually attained the position of Master with the Cunard Line, but in 1874, resigned to become a professional endurance swimmer.
	On August 24th, 1875, Webb attempted to become the first man to swim the English Channel. Almost twenty-two hours later he set foot on the coast of Calais. Webb's reward was instant fame and wherever he went he received a hero's welcome.
	Within several years, however, Webb was performing both races and stunts in order to earn more money and keep his name at the forefront. He beat the United States champion, Paul Boyton, in a much publicized race off Natasket Beach. He also performed several strange feats such as floating in the Westminster Aquarium for a period of sixty hours. This fascinating Jellicoe drawing records this event. Amazingly one year later, Webb, shattered his own record at the Boston Horticultural Show, when he remained floating in a tank of water for one-hundred and twenty-eight hours!
	Alas the pressures of fame and fortune led Captain Webb to attempt a suicidal swim across the swirling waters at the foot of Niagara Falls. On July 24, 1883, thousands of onlookers watched as he jumped from his small boat. Within ten minutes he was caught by a whirlpool and dragged under. Four days later his body was found several miles down the river. His grave is at Oakwood Cemetery, Niagara Falls.
	Like many illustrative drawings from this period, Captain Webb's Sixty Hour Swim at the Westminster Aquarium is constructed with narrative-like elements, containing a central image surrounded by secondary images. The major image depicts a general view of Captain Webb in the Westminster Aquarium. In an almost surreal scene hundreds of spectators watch him while he floats. To the left a judge sits keeping time and making sure Webb does nothing to violate the rules. The secondary drawings to the right are close-ups of Webb's feat and are entitled, "At Rest" and "At Dinner".
	This bizarre event most assuredly captured the imagination of London. To the bottom left margin of this original drawing, either Jellicoe or an editor has written, "10 o'clock, Thursday at latest", in pencil. No doubt this was the leading story for the next day's issue and the illustration was subject to a tight deadline.
	The art of pen and ink drawing reached one of its greatest eras during the second half of the nineteenth century. This artistic medium was closely allied with the rise of illustrated journals, newspapers and periodicals throughout Europe and America. Competition among the publishers was keen and the difference between success or failure often depended upon the art and illustrations found within the published pages. Thus many of the best artists of the day were regularly employed by these publishers to submit drawings of topical interest which would then be reproduced, either photomechanically or by wood engraving, to illustrate both articles and stories.
	Our modern day ideas of illustration differ significantly from those of our ancestors. We are thoroughly accustomed to the matter-of-fact qualities of the camera. In the nineteenth century, however, the artist's eye ruled and the viewer depended upon his talents not only for portraying the factual elements but for his ability to interpret these elements artistically. It is no wonder then that many of the finest artists of the time -- such as Winslow Homer, Sir John Gilbert and Arthur Boyd Houghton -- were regularly commissioned to execute drawings for the periodicals. Even Vincent van Gogh cherished for years the desire to work as an artist for the English journals.
Source:	Commissioned By: The Sporting and Dramatic News, London
Size:	7 3/8 X 10 1/2 (Sizes in inches are approximate, height preceding width of plate-mark or image.)
	Matted with 100% Archival Materials
Buy Now	Price: $495.00 US
Condition:	Drawn upon 'Reynold's Bristol Board' and with large, full margins. Signed within the drawing to the lower right and titled and dated by the artist on the verso. Containing some foxing and spotting both within the image and the margins, else in good condition throughout. Captain Webb's Sixty Hour Swim at the Westminster Aquarium represents a prime, original example of the art of John Jellicoe and a most fascinating, historical record of one of Victorian England's most famous celebrities.
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