In the middle of the 19th century, the media world underwent a disruptive change. Journalistic tasks became a division of labor. What sounds so mundane was a sensation for society at the time. Newspapers and magazines began to systematically publish illustrations. When Herbert Ingram founded The Illustrated London News in 1842, he was well aware of the power of pictures. Even the first issue with sixteen pages contained thirty-two woodcuts. The topics were the war in Afghanistan, misfortunes and social events from the royal house. Readers clamored for the illustrated articles, and soon the magazine employed a staff of draftsmen and illustrators who made sketches on the spot. Probably one of the best known illustrators was Frank Watkins.
At the time of Frank Watkins' birth, industrialization in England had reached a level that made it possible to produce newspapers and books with illustrations of excellent quality. Parallel to this development, an artistic group had formed that belonged to the Arts and Crafts movement. Above all, William Morris and John Ruskin tried to hold on to the conservative way of art and to reduce the machine work to a minimum. What educational path Frank Watkins took has not been handed down. His illustrations tell of great talent and a deft skill. Time and technical level speak for lithographs made by Watkins. With the finest precision, the artist engraved the printing stone with a steel drawing pen and applied a special ink. Frank Watkins managed to depict events and buildings with extraordinary attention to detail. Admirable because his works were not made for display in the salon, but for the moment.
The artist's work tells his biography. Many of his works were created in London. Only a few motifs come from other European countries. Moscow, North America and the south of the continent are among the stations Watkins has visited. A special experience may have been the visit of the Queen in Birmingham, where the artist was present. In 1887, the Queen of England celebrated the 50th anniversary of her reign. An occasion that led to great festivities. Watkins was on site and made a series of snapshots of the celebrations. During this stay, works were also created in the evening, with a special play of light that makes them extraordinary. What is striking is the respectful distance that the reporter reveals. Watkins was present several times at public appearances of the queen. Whether at the invitation of the court or on behalf of the newspaper remains open. Frank Watkins' comprehensive work is a valuable documentation. A close look reveals the care and dedication with which the artist collected information and his great powers of observation.
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.jpg "New Buildings, Temple Gardens by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The New Technical School, Bradford, opened by the Prince of Wales by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Royal Courts of Justice, the Carey-Street Front by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Completed Buildings of the People")
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.jpg "New Wesleyan College, Belfast by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "New Headquarters for the Metropolitan Police, Thames Embankment by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "New Municipal Buildings, Inverness, Opened by the Duke of Edinburgh by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Holborn Townhall by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "National Hospital for the Paralysed and Epileptic, Queen-Square, Bloomsbury by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Paris Exhibition, General View of the Exhibition Buildings, from the Trocadero by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Jubilee Festival of King")
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.jpg "New Buildings of the London Hospital, Whitechapel, opened on Saturday by the Prince and Princess of Wales by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "New Offices of the London School Board, Thames Embankment by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The New Municipal Buildings, Sunderland by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Sir Cowasjee Jehanghier, CSI, Knight by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The New Chapel of St John")
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.jpg "The Royal Courts of Justice: The Strand Front by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Palaces of the German Emperor, William II by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The New Law Courts at Birmingham, the Foundation-Stone of which was laid by the Queen on Wednesday by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Olympia, the New National Agricultural Hall, West Kensington by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Sleddall Victoria Jubilee Almshouses and Church, Kendal by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Royal Palace of Laeken, Brussels, destroyed by Fire by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Seamen")
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.jpg "Relics at the Guelph Exhibition, New Gallery, Regent Street by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Smoking-Room of the Oxford Union Society by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Church of St Mary Aldermary, Queen Victoria-Street, Lately Restored by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Queen")
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.jpg "The Holborn Valley Viaduct, in Course of Construction by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The New Public Library at Fulham by Frank Watkins")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-958578).jpg "New offices of the London School Board, Thames Embankment by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Roman Catholic Church of the Oratory, South Kensington by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "New Townhall and Municipal Buildings, Middlesbrough by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Sketches of the Queen")
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.jpg "Christchurch Cathedral, Canterbury, New Zealand by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Restored Statue of Queen Anne, in front of St Paul")
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.jpg "Lord Beaconsfield"){kind=tracking}
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.jpg "Trowbridge and its New Jubilee Townhall by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Mercers")
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.jpg "Hampstead Public Baths, Finchley-New-Road by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Queen opening Ballater Bridge, Deeside by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The George A Clark Townhall, Paisley by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Working-Men")
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.jpg "The New Public Library, Edinburgh by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "New Library of the People")
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.jpg "Dental Hospital, Leicester-Square by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Royal Courts of Justice by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The National Liberal Club, Whitehall-Place by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Queen")
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.jpg "Church of St Benet, Gracechurch-Street, About to be Demolished by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Commencement of the Hull, Barnsley, and West Riding Railway and Dock by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Ruins of the Scottish Corporation Hall, Crane-Court, Fleet-Street, After the Fire by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "New Scandinavian Church, Liverpool by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "New Refreshment Pavilion, Kew Gardens by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "New Townhall, Wandsworth by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Truro Cathedral by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The New Buildings at Albert-Gate as they are to be by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Ingestre Hall, Staffordshire, Destroyed by Fire on Thursday, 12 October by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Cork Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures, Products, and Industry of the South of Ireland by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Peabody-Square, Westminster, for the Dwellings of the Poor by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Fountain at Hawarden, to Commemorate the Golden Wedding of Mr and Mrs Gladstone by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "St Patrick")
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.jpg "Russo-Turkish War by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Prince of Wales in Sweden by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Reading and its Neighbourhood by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The New Guildhall, Plymouth, Opened by the Prince of Wales by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Imperial Coronation at Moscow by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Walker")
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.jpg "East London Railway, Thames Tunnel Station, Wapping by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Empire Theatre, Leicester-Square by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The late Inundations in France by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Royal Courts of Justice, the Principal Entrance from the Strand by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Crosshill and Govanhill Burgh Hall, near Glasgow by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Reopening of the Restored Nave of St Alban")
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.jpg "Garraway")
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.jpg "New Offices of the Daily Telegraph in Fleet-Street by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Royal Courts of Justice, the Strand Front by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Completed Buildings of the People")
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.jpg "The New Townhall, Dewsbury, Yorkshire by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Advertisement, Chancery Lane Safe Deposit by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Colony of Victoria by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Dalton Hall, Residence for Students of Victoria University, Manchester by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "St Saviour")
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.jpg "The Manchester Royal Jubilee Exhibition by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "St Mildred")
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.jpg "The New City of London Court by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Street Improvements at Port Elizabeth, South Africa, the Old and the New by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "New Municipal Buildings, Great Yarmouth by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The New Roman Catholic Church of St James, Manchester Square by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Sketches at Aldridge")
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.jpg "The City of London School New Buildings by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "New Dock House of the East and West India Dock Company in Billiter Square by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "New Dock-House of the East and West India Dock Company, in Billiter-Square by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Southport Pavilion, Winter Garden, and Aquarium by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Skeldergate Bridge, York by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "New Parish Church of St Mary, Hornsey by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Branch Buildings of the Bank of England, Fleet-Street by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Grosvenor Gallery Library, New Bond-Street by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "The Phoenix Park Murder Trials at Dublin by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Sketches of Middlesbrough by Frank Watkins")
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.jpg "Sketches in Southport by Frank Watkins")
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