Request to view

This object can be requested via email from the Prints & Drawings Study Room

Book Illustration

1981 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This illustration for Puss in Boots, the Story of a Sneaky Cat, published in 1981, is typical of Tony Ross's style. A well-known illustrator of children's books, he has produced over 50 books since 1976. He combines humour with a lively use of line and colour. Although there is a strong sense of colour in his work, line is the most important element and he judges the quality of his work from its ability to hold its own as a black and white line drawing: 'if it doesn't work in line it's no good. To me colour always comes second'. He used the same pen for 20 years because its bluntness produced the scratchy finish he sought. His work has an international appeal and has been adapted for television animations, his best known characters being Dr Xargle and Towser.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Pen and ink and watercolour on board
Brief description
Book illustration to Puss in Boots, the Story of a Sneaky Cat, drawing of an ogre and cats, by Tony Ross, in pen and ink and watercolour on paper, 1981.
Physical description
Illustration depicting an ogre at home. He has opened his front door to a cat in a hat with yellow feathers. Four dead cats hang from the Ogre's belt and two cat heads are displayed on the wall. A knife and a plate of cat bones lies on the floor.
Dimensions
  • Image height: 23.1cm
  • Image width: 21.6cm
  • Board height: 30.8cm
  • Board width: 25.7cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • U (circled) (Inscription; decoration; top left above image; pencil)
  • 23 (top right above image; pencil)
Subjects depicted
Summary
This illustration for Puss in Boots, the Story of a Sneaky Cat, published in 1981, is typical of Tony Ross's style. A well-known illustrator of children's books, he has produced over 50 books since 1976. He combines humour with a lively use of line and colour. Although there is a strong sense of colour in his work, line is the most important element and he judges the quality of his work from its ability to hold its own as a black and white line drawing: 'if it doesn't work in line it's no good. To me colour always comes second'. He used the same pen for 20 years because its bluntness produced the scratchy finish he sought. His work has an international appeal and has been adapted for television animations, his best known characters being Dr Xargle and Towser.
Bibliographic reference
Ross, Tony. Puss in Boots, the Story of a Sneaky Cat. London, Andersen Press, 1981.
Collection
Accession number
E.290-1982

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJanuary 6, 2004
Record URL
Download as: JSON