Ralph Thompson

Ralph Thompson (born 1913 [cite LAF|id=n80-94318] ) is a noted artist and book illustrator, who specializes in pen and ink sketches of animal subjects. His most noteworthy works are his series of book illustrations for the famous naturalist and author Gerald Durrell in the period 1954 to 1964 when Durrell was associated with the publishing firm of Rupert Hart-Davis. During this period of time, he visited Gerald Durrell's Jersey Zoo numerous times to sketch his subjects, especially when working on the illustrations of "Menagerie Manor".

He has illustration credits for numerous other animal books and stories mostly for children and young adults, as well as commissioned animal posters and drawings.

Ralph Thompson has also illustrated picture books like "Chess Dream in a Garden" by Rosemary Sutcliff.

He is the author of two books on animal illustration.

*A Brush with Animals, Rupert Hart-Davis 1963
*An Artist's Safari, Collins 1970

He is also the author of a pictorial history:
*The 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars : a pictorial history, Quoin 1989

Reader's Digest issued a sketchbook of Ralph Thompson in 1970 titled "Animals Through the Eyes of an Artist".

References