Sol Eytinge Jr.
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Solomon Eytinge Jr. (23 October 1833 – 26 March 1905), was an American illustrator of newspapers, journals and books by authors that included
Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...
and Alfred, Lord Tennyson.


Early life

His father, Solomon Eytinge, was a Dutch merchant who settled in New York and married an American woman, Mary Ann Miller. Sol Eytinge was born in New York on the 23 October 1833. The census returns of 1860, 1880 & 1890 indicate Eytinge's place of birth was New York but several references put his place of birth as Philadelphia. Eytinge's mother came from Philadelphia and his father settled in Philadelphia when he first arrived in America.


Career

By the age of twenty three he was an established staff artist at Frank Leslie's ''Illustrated Newspaper'' where he mentored a sixteen-year-old
Thomas Nast Thomas Nast (; ; September 26, 1840December 7, 1902) was a German-born American caricaturist and editorial cartoonist often considered to be the "Father of the American Cartoon". He was a critic of Democratic Representative "Boss" Tweed and ...
. Shortly afterwards, he worked for the New York ''Illustrated News'' later contributing to the journals ''
Every Saturday ''Every Saturday'' (1866–1874) was an American literary magazine published in Boston, Massachusetts. It was edited by Thomas Bailey Aldrich and published by Ticknor and Fields (1866–1868); Fields, Osgood, & Co. (mid-1868–1870); James R. Osgoo ...
'' and ''
Harper's Weekly ''Harper's Weekly, A Journal of Civilization'' was an American political magazine based in New York City. Published by Harper & Brothers from 1857 until 1916, it featured foreign and domestic news, fiction, essays on many subjects, and humor, ...
''. His colleagues at this time included Frank Bellew and the brothers
Alfred Alfred may refer to: Arts and entertainment *''Alfred J. Kwak'', Dutch-German-Japanese anime television series * ''Alfred'' (Arne opera), a 1740 masque by Thomas Arne * ''Alfred'' (Dvořák), an 1870 opera by Antonín Dvořák *"Alfred (Interlu ...
and
William Waud William Waud (wɔ:d) (1832 – November 10, 1878) was an England, English-born architect and illustrator, notable for the sketches he made as an artist correspondent during the American Civil War. Career William Waud, trained as an architect in ...
. Eytinge and his group of friends frequented Charles Pfaff's beer cellar on Broadway and they were part of the Bohemian social scene that existed in New York at this time. Before Pfaff's had opened in 1855, Eytinge was involved with a circle of writers and artists who referred to themselves as the Ornithorhynchus Club. One friend, the writer William Winter, described Eytinge as a "man of original and deeply interesting character, an artist of exceptional facility, possessed of a fine imagination and great warmth of feeling.... In his prime as a draughtsman he was distinguished for the felicity of his invention, the richness of his humor, and the tenderness of his pathos. He had a keen wit and was the soul of kindness and mirth”. In 1867 Sol Eytinge was asked by publishers Field, Osgood & Co. of Boston to prepare a series of drawings to illustrate the work of Charles Dickens, who was due to tour America. These were published in a series of books referred to as the Diamond Edition. Dickens liked and approved the drawings and the two men got on well enough for Eytinge to be able to sketch a portrait of the author. One of Eytinge's illustrations for '' A Christmas Carol'' was of Bob Cratchit with Tiny Tim on his shoulder; this iconic portrayal was the first time a drawing showing this scene had been published. Eytinge visited Dickens in England who then invited him to see the darker side of London life. The illustrations for the Dickens books were later published in the ''
Every Saturday ''Every Saturday'' (1866–1874) was an American literary magazine published in Boston, Massachusetts. It was edited by Thomas Bailey Aldrich and published by Ticknor and Fields (1866–1868); Fields, Osgood, & Co. (mid-1868–1870); James R. Osgoo ...
'' journal. Eytinge was a prolific illustrator and his work was included in books for authors such as Louisa May Alcott, Robert Browning, Oliver Wendell Holmes,
James Russell Lowell James Russell Lowell (; February 22, 1819 – August 12, 1891) was an American Romantic poet, critic, editor, and diplomat. He is associated with the fireside poets, a group of New England writers who were among the first American poets that ...
,
Washington Irving Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 – November 28, 1859) was an American short-story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century. He is best known for his short stories "Rip Van Winkle" (1819) and " The Legen ...
,
Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wid ...
, Annie Edwards and John Greenleaf Whittier plus many others.


Family

In 1858 he married divorcee, Margaret (Winship) Wyckoff, who had two children from her previous marriage, one of whom took the name of her new step father and became actress
Pearl Eytinge Pearl Eytinge (''née'' Wyckoff; 1854–1914) was a New York-born actress, author, producer, playwright and activist who once said "There is no vice on earth of which I have not partaken". Her addiction to drink and drugs ended her stage career ...
. Eytinge's wife was a published author and wrote under the names of Margaret Winship Eytinge, Madge Elliot, Bell Thorne and Allie Vernon. Several of Eytinge's relatives were connected with the theatre: Samuel D. EytingeSamuel D. Eytinge (1829-1859), married Emily Kelly Moss, sister of Theodore Moss, treasurer and later manager of
Wallack's Theatre Three New York City playhouses named Wallack's Theatre played an important part in the history of American theater, as the successive homes of the stock company managed by actors James W. Wallack and his son, Lester Wallack. During its 35-ye ...
. Emily had a son from her first marriage who took his stepfather's name to become actor, Walter Eytinge (1854-1893).
and
Rose Eytinge Rose Eytinge (November 21, 1835 – December 20, 1911) was a Jewish American actress and author. She is thought to be the first American actor to earn a three figure salary. Biography Eytinge was born November 21, 1835 in Philadelphia, ...
were cousins and his brother Charles D. Eytinge was a renowned “reader”. Another brother,
Harry Harry may refer to: TV shows * ''Harry'' (American TV series), a 1987 American comedy series starring Alan Arkin * ''Harry'' (British TV series), a 1993 BBC drama that ran for two seasons * ''Harry'' (talk show), a 2016 American daytime talk show ...
, was a producer and actor. His nephew,
Dennis Miller Bunker Dennis Miller Bunker (November 6, 1861 – December 28, 1890) was an American painter and innovator of American Impressionism. His mature works include both brightly colored landscape paintings and dark, finely drawn portraits and figures. One ...
, was an impressionist painter. Eytinge died in Bayonne, New Jersey on 26 March 1905 and is buried in Bayview-New York Bay Cemetery.


Notes


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eytinge, Sol 1833 births 1905 deaths American people of Dutch descent American children's book illustrators American magazine illustrators Artists from Philadelphia Artists from New York City Burials at Bayview – New York Bay Cemetery