by Newly published sketches of the illustrator behind Winnie-the-Pooh have revealed how he overcome his aversion to conflicts for the Bail against appeasement in the run-up to the Second World War.
In a world outside of the innocence of the classic children’s stories by AA Milne, Eh Shepard explored his aversion to fascism and appeasement with caricatures by Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini and the former Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, whose name is identified with the politics of “Appasement” towards Hitlers Germany.
James Campbell, supervisor of the EH Shepard Artistic and Literary Estate, told The Telegraph that the caricatures Shepard revealed as a man who “was instinctively nervous in terms of regime and individuals who essentially wanted to take control of people”.
He said, although Milne endeavored to avoid the war at almost all costs, was more pragmatic. “He had lost his only brother in the war. He was supposed to lose his only son in the Second World War … But there was a point when he realized that someone had to stand up for what was right. There are very interesting parallels to what was going on now.”
Campbell added that the caricatures showed that Shepard tried to find paths to find the rise of fascism and his dismay about the widespread wish in the British establishment after a policy of appeasement towards Nazi Germany and the unfortunate Munich Agreement between Chamberlain and Hitler.
In more than 20 years, Shepard was the senior political cartoonist for Punch Magazine and in a previously unpublished cartoon, he satirized the chaos of political challenges that led to the Second World War.
He showed a lively amusement park with attractions that made up for politicians Anthony Eden, Clement Atlee and Winston Churchill. A small paddle boat is directed by a man who indicates his flag “Edens Direded Tours”, a wrestler is a banner that “fights in Winston Bruiser”, and a top hat man holds a bottle and points to a poster “Atlees Antidotes Tasteless”. A few visitors only look confused.
Winnie-the-Pooh Illustrator eh Shepard-Getty Images
Campbell said: “When the head of Punch’s political cartoonists, Shepard had a ring seat when the construction of the Second World War developed … Punch was the largest English -language magazine in the world in the world at that time [with] Around 4 million [readers] A week worldwide. So he was basically the social media of his time.
“Shepard was such a qualified draftsman that he was able to convey a series of messages in the manner of pictures. He was deliberately subtle in it [The Telegraph cartoonist] Today. Matt articulates very often what the ordinary man or the ordinary woman thinks in an amusing and subtle way – and Shepard did exactly the same. “
The drawings held in various collections were provided by the Shepard Estate.
Campbell will include her in his upcoming book, the first dual biography of Shepard and Milne. With the title The Men, the Winnie-the-Pooh: have created the life of Aa Milne and rather Shepard, it will be published by Michael O’Mara Books on September 11th, the hundred year of the publication of Winnie-the-Pooh.
Among other things, previously unpublished drawings were a charming sketch of Felken, who flee his “little” legs from a “terrible Heffalump” and one from Winnie-the-Pooh and Christopher Robin, with his hand scraping off a glass of her beloved honey.
A previously unpublished drawing by piglet and Christopher Robin
A rough sketch by Winnie-the-Pooh and Christopher Robin
Other personal drawings are an contemplative pen and ink portrait of Shepard’s daughter Mary, who is deepened into a book. She inherited her father’s artistic talent and brought the Mary Poppins from Pl Travers to life with her illustrations.
A pen and ink portrait of Shepard’s daughter
Milne and Shepard are united forever in their joint creation of Winnie-the-Pooh, but were very different characters.
Campbell said: “While Shepard had a very sunny job, Milne was a pessimist … At the end of his life, he was very depressed at the thought, which of course would be known for these four Winnie-the-Pooh books and not for his work as a playwright and author for adults.”
Andrew Maunder, producer and expert in the theater of the early 20th century, in September in the Finborough Theater, a revival of the truth about Blayds, a hit piece by Milne from 1921 in Finborough Theater.
Maunder said: “In his time, Milne was a very successful playwright, but became better known for his children’s books – something he was annoyed.”
He said about this piece: “It’s about a 90-year-old poet, Oliver Blayds, who wore a terrible secret after his death.
Gyles Brandreth, author of an upcoming Milne biography, said: “Milne would be enthusiastic about the revival of Blayds. He was more likely to be a playwright and writer than a children’s author.
“He wrote 40 games and earned a considerable amount of money from them – in the 1920s he was the Alan Ayckbourn/Neil Simon of his day, with plays on Broadway and at the same time in the west end.
Brandreth organizes a charity of Milne and Winnie-the-Pooh in the Garrick Theater with Joanna Lumley and Jim Broadbent on September 28th.
