Hello, this is Caitlyn, the student volunteer at the RRA doing a project on the gifted commercial artist Frank Patterson (1871-1952).

During my most recent visit to the archive, Richard and I documented the archive’s collection of original Patterson artwork. It is so beautiful to see these drawings in their original form. The way Patterson would make these is by doing several drawings on the same page (usually A3 sized) which would be sent to the publisher to be separated and reduced to fit within the magazine. The original pieces contain classic Patterson works, of scenic landscapes and the countryside. Patterson’s artwork mostly features bicycles and cyclists set within this backdrop. However, it is interesting to see the difference in these pieces in terms of the dates, as in later examples there is evidence of motorcars. These pieces are important examples of how Patterson’s work changed over time, keeping up with the advancements in technology.

Because these pieces of artwork are originals, they contain additional information which adds to their rich history. Some have a stamp on the back from Temple Press Ltd., one of the main publishers with which Patterson worked. This company published such magazines as ‘The Motor’ and ‘Cycling’ where Patterson’s work would frequently appear. Each stamp contains three headings: Size, Screen and Wanted – and includes the department to which the piece should be charged. The most common size reduction shown on the stamps on the original artwork in the archive was 6½ inches. The ‘Wanted’ heading is most likely to be a reference to the date by which the department wanted to receive the art. The ‘Screen’ information refers to the kind of screen that would be needed to reproduce the image. The inclusion of the department to be charged is interesting; that may help to work out where the piece is featured, but it is also likely that departments shared the drawings between them, depending on the needs of the magazine. Many of the originals also have a four-digit number written on the back; we are not sure what it means. These markings lead to a fascinating guessing game as to their exact meaning – and sometimes the speculation is the most fun part! There is also a clock stamp present on some of the pieces, which helps to place them into date order. All these stamps and markings on the original artwork add extra depth and enjoyment to my research into Patterson’s images.

Richard and I agree that one of our joint favourite pieces of original artwork is made up of many drawings of different windmills. The beauty shining through on these simple designs attests to Patterson’s wonderful skills as an artist – and it is also a fun and quirky piece. If any readers have any Patterson original pieces, the archive would be very grateful if you could send a photograph of the front and back of the piece. We hope to build up a fuller story of the pieces and any help would be appreciated!

Join me next week when I write about my latest finds and connections while researching Frank Patterson’s beautiful illustrations.

Caitlyn