author

Charles Whymper

1853–1941

Best known as a Victorian British painter and illustrator, he brought travel, wildlife, hunting, and natural-history subjects to life with a lively eye for detail. His work appeared in books and magazines, and he built a long career that moved easily between art and illustration.

1 Audiobook

Egyptian Birds

Egyptian Birds

by Charles Whymper

About the author

Born in London on August 31, 1853, he was the son of painter and engraver Josiah Wood Whymper and studied at the Royal Academy Schools. He worked as both a painter and an illustrator, and his art was exhibited at major London venues including the Royal Academy, the Royal Society of British Artists, the New Gallery, the Fine Art Society, and the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours.

He became especially known for book illustration, with a strong focus on travel, animals, hunting scenes, and natural history. Sources also credit him with contributing illustrations to periodicals such as The Illustrated London News, Good Words, and The English Illustrated Magazine, and his work survives today in collections including the British Museum and the Wellcome Collection.

In 1909, he was elected to the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours. He died on April 25, 1941. For readers coming to him through old books, he stands out as one of those dependable late-Victorian illustrators whose pictures add movement, atmosphere, and a strong sense of place.