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Seventy five drawings and sketchbooks by James Boswell, the graphic artist, illustrator and painter

1938–59

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Availaible online are all of the sketchbook created by James Boswell. These sketchbooks illustrate many of Boswell's interests and activities. The earliest books contain designs for some of his lithographs and there is a series of war sketchbooks covering the period Boswell was in Scotland (1941-1942) and Iraq and Malta (1942-1944) serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps. His political affiliation shows clearly in many of the wartime drawings where the officers are frequently drawn with bulls' heads and the common soldiers are more sympathetically portrayed. The Sussex coast features prominently in the drawings as do scenes of London life, especially street markets. His interest in Punch and Judy and the theatre is also apparent and many of the post-war sketchbooks form a record of his travels in Bucharest (1953), Paris (1953), Chartres (1956), Dieppe (1958) and Marseille (1959).

Details of the remainder of the collection can be found on the Archive catalogue.

Collection Owner
James Boswell 1906–1971
Collection
Tate Archive
Acquisition
Presented by Ruth Boswell, the artist's widow in 1982
Reference
TGA 8224

48 objects in this collection

  • Seventy five drawings and sketchbooks by James Boswell, the graphic artist, illustrator and painter

    48 Objects

Title
Seventy five drawings and sketchbooks by James Boswell, the graphic artist, illustrator and painter
Date
1938–59
Description
Availaible online are all of the sketchbook created by James Boswell. These sketchbooks illustrate many of Boswell's interests and activities. The earliest books contain designs for some of his lithographs and there is a series of war sketchbooks covering the period Boswell was in Scotland (1941-1942) and Iraq and Malta (1942-1944) serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps. His political affiliation shows clearly in many of the wartime drawings where the officers are frequently drawn with bulls' heads and the common soldiers are more sympathetically portrayed. The Sussex coast features prominently in the drawings as do scenes of London life, especially street markets. His interest in Punch and Judy and the theatre is also apparent and many of the post-war sketchbooks form a record of his travels in Bucharest (1953), Paris (1953), Chartres (1956), Dieppe (1958) and Marseille (1959).

Details of the remainder of the collection can be found on the Archive catalogue.
Reference
TGA 8224

Showing 1–20 of 48 objects

Sketchbook containing sketches of Dover and London, with the artist’s name and address inscribed on the inside front cover

James Boswell
1938
View by appointment

Sketchbook containing sketches of street scenes and caricatures

James Boswell
1938–9
View by appointment

Sketchbook containing sketches of street scenes and caricatures

James Boswell
1938–9
View by appointment

Sketchbook containing essays and sketches of London

James Boswell
1939
View by appointment

Sketchbook containing sketches of Punch and Judy

James Boswell
1939
View by appointment

Sketchbook, inscribed inside the front cover with ‘Sketchbook 1940’ and the artist’s name and address

James Boswell
1940
View by appointment

Sketchbook, inscribed inside front cover ‘1940’

James Boswell
1940
View by appointment

Sketchbook, inscribed inside front cover ‘1941/2’, ‘Scotland’

James Boswell
1941–2
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Sketchbook containing sketches of Scotland

James Boswell
1942
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Sketchbook containing sketches of the Middle East, mostly Iraq (with four inserts)

James Boswell
1942–3
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Sketchbook, inscribed inside front cover ‘Iraq, 1943’

James Boswell
1943
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Sketchbook with drawings of Iraq and Malta

James Boswell
1943
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Sketchbook with drawings of Iraq and studies of Europa

James Boswell
[c.1943]
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Sketchbook with ‘1945’ inside front cover and ‘1945 and 1949’ on label on front of cover

James Boswell
1945–9
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Sketchbook with studies of the London blitz

James Boswell
1946
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Sketchbook containing post-war studies

James Boswell
[c.1950]
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Sketchbook containing post-war studies

James Boswell
[c1950]
View by appointment

Sketchbook containing sketches of post-war subjects, London, and Brighton

James Boswell
[c.1950–9]
View by appointment

Sketchbook, inscribed ‘1952/53’ inside front cover

James Boswell
1952–3
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Sketchbook, with ‘1952 & 4 & 6’ inside front cover

James Boswell
1952–6
View by appointment
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