Design for Bookcover, Sir Roland Ashton, by Lady Long
![Design for Bookcover, Sir Roland Ashton, by Lady Long by Alfred Henry Forrester [Alfred Crowquill]](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/met/dp/thumb/design-for-bookcover-sir-roland-ashton-by-lady-394864.webp)
Medium
Pen and ink, watercolor
Dimensions
sheet: 16 3/4 x 11 7/16 in. (42.5 x 29 cm)
Classification
Drawings|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1956
Accession Number
56.527(65)
Art Historical Context
Step into the whimsical world of Victorian book illustration with *Design for Bookcover, Roland Ashton, by Lady* (1845–70), a delightful pen and ink drawing heightened with watercolor by Alfred Henry, better known by his pseudonym Alfred Crowquill. This sheet, measuring 16¾ x 11½ inches, captures Forrester's signature playful style, renowned for its intricate line work humorous flair. As a prolific illustrator for periodicals like *Punch* and numerous books, Crowquill brought charm to everyday designs, transforming simple covers into visual feasts. Created during the mid-19th century's golden...
About the Artist
Alfred Henry Forrester [Alfred Crowquill] · 1804–1872
Alfred Henry Forrester, widely known by his pseudonym Alfred Crowquill, was a versatile British illustrator, author, and caricaturist whose whimsical creations captured the Victorian imagination. Born on 10 September 1804 in London to public notary Robert Forrester, he shared a prolific collaboration with his elder brother, Charles Robert Forrester (1803–1850), who wrote under the name Hal Willis....