Comfort Gallery

The Forty-Four restaurant card, c1955. Creator: Shirley Markham

The "Forty-Four" restaurant card, c1955. Card advertising a restaurant in Harcourt Street, Dublin, Ireland, illustrated with chefs. Shirley Markham (1931-1999) studied Graphic Design and Illustration at Central School of Art in London from 1950-1952. The writer, artist, poet, and illustrator Mervyn Peake (1911-1968) was one of her tutors, and her style of drawing was also influenced by other British illustrators such as Edward Ardizzone, Quentin Blake and Edward Bawden. Markham spent time in the Dolomite Mountains in Italy, and also visited Rome, sketching classical buildings. After graduating from Central, she worked as a graphic designer, producing book illustrations, cartoons for comics, menus and programmes. She gave up her promising career however when she got married in 1957. Middle-class women at that time were expected to devote their energies to bringing up children and running the home, and despite her obvious talent, she lacked the confidence to return to illustration. Her portfolio remained in the family attic for many years, but now her work is published here for the first time

© Shirley Markham Collection / Heritage-Images

A Rakes Progress - 7: Fleet Prison, 1733. Artist: William Hogarth

A Rake's Progress - 7: Fleet Prison, 1733. Tom Rakewell is confined to Fleet Prison, London, for debt, and being harangued by his wife. On the table next to him is the manuscript for a play he has written to try to make some money and a rejection letter. To the left of the room Sarah Young has fainted and a woman with smelling salts tries to revive her. From William Hogarth, by Austin Dobson. [Hachette Et Cie, Paris, 1904]

© The Print Collector

Rear-Admiral Arthur Alingtons cabin on board his flagship, HMS Magnificent, 1896.Artist: W Gregory

Rear-Admiral Arthur Alington's cabin on board his flagship, HMS Magnificent, 1896. Launched in 1894, Magnificent was one of the 9 Majestic class battleships built by the Royal Navy. In 1895 she became second flagship of the Channel Fleet. A print from The Navy and Army Illustrated, 31st January 1896

© The Print Collector / Heritage-Images