Book Preview: Classic Australian Comics 1855 - 2000 - Vane Lindesay

Keeping busy cleaning up scans for a book by Vane Lindesay, Classic Australian Comics 1855 - 2000. Here's a couple gems from The Comic Australian, 1911, by Hugh McCrae.

 

Stuart Peterson

 

 Stuart Peterson from Vane Lindesay's Drawing from Life

(Archibald) Stuart Peterson (1900-1976) was one of many Australian journalists and cartoonists during the hey day of newspapers that spent a portion of their career in New Zealand. Born in Adelaide Peterson studied at the National Gallery Schools in Melbourne before taking up a position as editorial cartoonist on the New Zealand Free Lance (1927-34).  Returning to Sydney in 1934, Peterson worked freelance before becoming the main political cartoonist for the Sydney Sun and Sunday Sun after Tom Glover's death in 1938. Tom Glover, an englishman raised in New Zealand, cartooned for the Truth in New Zealand for eleven years before crossing the Tasman to work for the Sydney Bulletin and the Sydney Sun. Upon Glover's death in 1938 at 47, he was regarded with such prominence that a State funeral procession was held through the city. Peterson also contributed cartoons to The Bulletin in the 1920s and 30s.

The Following examples of Stuart Peterson's work are taken from the New Zealand Freelance February 28, 1934.

 

 

Whilst in New Zealand Peterson produced book plate designs for the New Zealand Ex Libris Society.

 

Published in two volumes in 1930 and 1934, Legends of the Maori was illustrated by Peterson and edited by early New Zealand historian James Cowan from the writings of Sir Maui Pomare. Peterson's illustrations for Volume two can be seen in full here. During April 15th - May 6th 1931, Easton's Gallery at 55 Willis St Wellington hosted an exhibition of 59 of Peterson's drawings and etchings including work from The Legends of the Maori volumes.

Examples of Stuart Peterson's work for Legends of the Maori

 

Sources: Vane Lindesay - Drawing From Life, Ian F. Grant - The Unauthorised Version A Cartoon History of New Zealand,  Joan Kerr  - A. Stuart Peterson Biography , New Zealand Electronic Text Centre, New Zealand Freelance and Pictorial Weekly, The New Zealand Railways Magazine.