CLEAVER, Reginald D. (1870-1954).
"An International Affair or a Battle of Flowers,"
CLEAVER, Reginald D. (1870-1954).
"An International Affair or a Battle of Flowers,"
An accomplished and detailed drawing, with a fine balance between design and detail: the horse’s head is foregrounded, its flaring nostrils paralleling those of the fine lady, who seems to be simultaneously relishing and rejecting her admirers. Pencil-titled and signed “Reginald Cleaver.” See Appelbaum and Kelly, Great Drawings and Illustrations from Punch 1841-1901: “Cleaver (whose less gifted brother Ralph was also working for Punch at the same time) represents the highly accomplished, journalistically trained draftsmen of the 1890s. Before joining Punch late in 1891 (sic 1899?), he had been a chief factor in the success of The Daily Graphic, for which he had done Parliamentary reportage. A truly professional artist-for-reproduction, he worked in clear, sharp lines that, among other qualities, were excellent for rendering photographs in the news media of the day. [Joseph] Pennell, not lavish in his praise and no friend of mass-market zincography, nevertheless stated: ‘Reginald Cleaver can probably
