Cracker & Micky

The Times of London described the painter Cecil Aldin (1870-1935) as "one of the leading spirits in the renaissance of British sporting art." A successor to John Leech (one of the great Punch illustrators) and Henry Alken (the Jorrocks books), Aldin was known primarily for his drawings and portraits of dogs. He studied with Frank Calderon, whose London school focused on the study of animal anatomy. Aldin's contemporaries and friends included the artists Phil May and William Nicholson. His study of dogs had a quality that "no one could hold a candle to". His own dogs served as models (Aldin called them "the professionals"), with the beloved Cracker the bull terrier and second favorite Micky the Irish wolfhound as the subjects of the book Sleeping Partners [1929].  Cecil Aldin died in London on January 6, 1935. In his obituary, The Times noted that someone once complained that Aldin's "drawings of dogs were too human; they were not, but often showed character that even their owners had not noticed."

When Cracker died almost three years later, British newspapers gave tribute to this celebrated canine by publishing his obituary.

In addition to works illustrated by Cecil Aldin, the library's Magazines & Newspaper Center holds The Graphic, a weekly illustrated newspaper published in London from 1869-1932. One of Aldin's earliest commercial illustrations was published in the December 20, 1890 issue. He was twenty when The Graphic published his drawing of the St. Bernard Club Show. Some of Aldin's illustrated books and this volume of The Graphic are on view in the exhibition A Dog's Life, Skylight Gallery, Sixth Floor, Main Library, which continues through May 31.

Images from Sleeping Partners by Cecil Aldin [1929].