‘Mere’ illustration

Abstract

John Vernon Lord is an author, illustrator and teacher. He began his career in freelance illustration in the early 1960s and has carried out commissions for books, magazines and advertising. His books include a number of editions for the Folio Society. As a university professor, Lord has lectured for over sixty years in the United Kingdom and abroad. Here he presents a personal view of the historic and contemporary roles of the illustrator, particularly the book illustrator, examines the distinctions between fine art and illustration, and gives a passionate defence of illustration in the face of often dismissive attitudes, epitomized by the use of the term ‘mere illustration’.