Verdant Green An Oxford Freshman": Pencil drawing signed "Cuthbert Bede-1853" lower left
185321764n.p. 1853. 1 vols. Image 9-1/2 x 12 inches; attractively gilt-framed with lettered French mat 17-1/2 x 19-1/2 inches overall. 1 vols. Image 9-1/2 x 12 inches; attractively gilt-framed with lettered French mat 17-1/2 x 19-1/2 inches overall. Original Drawing of Mr. Verdant Green at Cricket. A popular Victorian literary character was Mr. Verdant Green an Oxford Freshman hero of several books written and illustrated by a Midland vicar Rev. Edward Bradley 1827-1889 under the pen-name of Cuthbert Bede. Bradley had learned wood-engraving from no less than George Cruikshank but as Houfe notes "remained very much the amateur illustrating his own books.and others in a jolly and careless style." He also drew for Punch and "was one of the first illustrators to satirise photography."<br/><br/>This drawing jolly and careless shows two sketches of the hapless freshman unsuccessfully defending a wicket--the drawings appear in more finished wood-engraved form on pages 100-101 of The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green-- and a more formal portrait done in the year in which The Adventures first appeared thus making it an Oxford literary and cricket item all in one. Houfe British Book Illustrators p. 230 unknown books
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