‘Illustration as Fine Art’

I found this extract online from teacher, lecturer, and bookseller Otto F. Ege. Back in 1949, he discussed the merits of illustration, and levelled it’s importance next to fine art. I think this is an important text which reinforces how illustration can be seen as fine art, and identifies how illustration is universally accessible and therefore more widely appreciated. Ege mentions it goes beyond barriers of class, that fine art struggles to achieve. Although fine art was seen differently at this time of writing, the point is still relevant today.

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”When an artist creates a painting today, he must be definitely class conscious and remember that only a limited number of people with the necessary leisure, awakened interest, and keen appreciation will make effort to go the gallery to contemplate and enjoy the effort, and on rare occasions to buy it…When this same artist makes an illustration, he is concerned with mass, not class, reaction.”

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Reference

Ege, O. F. (1949) ‘Illustration as a Fine Art’, College Art Journal, 9(1), pp. 3–11. doi: 10.1080/15436322.1949.11465908.