Marie Felicity Angel (1923–2010) was a British illustrator and calligrapher known for her book illustrations.

Biography

Angel was born in London and educated at Coloma Convent Girls' School. Throughout World War II she attended the Croydon School of Arts and Crafts and after the war studied at the

Royal College of Art The Royal College of Art (RCA) is a public university, public research university in London, United Kingdom, with campuses in South Kensington, Battersea and White City, London, White City. It is the only entirely postgraduate art and design uni ...

design school until 1948. Her work as a freelance illustrator led to a commission from

Harvard College Library Harvard Library is the network of libraries and services at Harvard University, a private Ivy League university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard Library is the oldest library system in the United States and both the largest academic librar ...

to produce a number of illustrated bestiaries which in turn led to Angel working on a number of children's books, for both American and British publishers. She also wrote and illustrated books on the techniques of

calligraphy Calligraphy () is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instruments. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "the art of giving form to signs in an e ...

and a volume of flower illustrations. Works by Angel have been shown at the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House in Piccadilly London, England. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its ...

in London and the Society of Designer Craftsmen and in solo exhibitions in America. Both the

Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...

in London and

Harvard Library Harvard Library is the network of libraries and services at Harvard University, a private Ivy League university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard Library is the oldest library system in the United States and both the largest academic librar ...

hold examples of her work. The Hunt Institute has a number of her botanical watercolours.

Books illustrated

* ''We Went Looking'' by

Aileen Fisher Aileen Lucia Fisher (September 9, 1906 – December 2, 2002) was an American people, American writer of more than a hundred children's books, including poetry, picture books in verse, prose about nature and America, biographies, Bible-themed book ...

, 1968, Crowell * ''The Twenty-third Psalm'', 1970 Crowell * ''My Cat Has Eyes of Sapphire Blue'' by Aileen Fisher, 1973, Crowell * ''Two Poems'' by

Emily Dickinson Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Little-known during her life, she has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massac ...

* ''The Tale of the Faithful Dove'' by

Beatrix Potter Helen Beatrix Heelis (; 28 July 186622 December 1943), usually known as Beatrix Potter ( ), was an English writer, illustrator, natural scientist, and conservationist. She is best known for her children's books featuring animals, such as '' ...

, 1971, Warne * ''The Tale of Tuppenny'' by Beatrix Potter, 1973, Warne * ''Tucky the Hunter'' by J. Dickey, 1979, Crown.

Books written and illustrated

* ''The Art of Calligraphy'', 1978, Robert Hale * ''Bird, Beast and Flower'', 1980,

Chatto & Windus Chatto & Windus is an imprint of Penguin Random House that was formerly an independent book publishing company founded in London in 1855 by John Camden Hotten. Following Hotten's death, the firm would reorganize under the names of his busines ...

* ''A Bestiary'', 1964,

* ''A New Bestiary'', 1968, Harvard College Library * ''An Animated Alphabet'', Harvard College Library * ''Painting for Calligraphy'', 1984, Overlook Press * ''An Alphabet of Garden Flowers'', 1987, Pelham.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Angel, Marie Felicity 1923 births 2010 deaths 20th-century English painters 20th-century English women artists 20th-century English women writers 21st-century English painters 21st-century English women artists 21st-century English women writers Artists from London Alumni of Croydon College Alumni of the Royal College of Art English illustrators English women painters Women calligraphers 20th-century British women painters 21st-century British women painters 21st-century British painters