Browne, HABLLOT KNIGHT

Browne, HABLLOT KNIGHT, artist, the 'Phiz' of many clever and humorous book-illustrations, was born at Kennington, Surrey, 15th June 1815. He early showed a strong taste for drawing, and was apprenticed to Finden; but the laborious methods of line-engraving were little to his taste, and he took to the freer processes of etching and water-colour painting, and in 1833 gained a medal from the Society of Arts for an etching of 'John Gilpin.' In 1836 Browne succeeded Seymour and R. W. Buss as illustrator of Dickens's Pickwick, competing successfully against Thackeray for the work; and he soon enjoyed a reputation which was continued and preserved by his designs to Nicholas Nickleby, Master Humphrey's Clock, Martin Chuzzlewit, Dombey, David Copperfield, Bleak House, Little Dorrit, and A Tale of Two Cities. He also illustrated many of Lever's and several of Ainsworth's novels. He laboured for thirty years with unceasing activity, save for occasional breaks during the hunting-season, and a little travel. In 1867 he was struck with paralysis; he died at West Brighton, 8th July 1882. His son, W. Gordon Browne, is also known as a book-illustrator. See Life, by D. C. Thomson (1884).