The Studio (magazine)

For the 20th century French film magazine, see Studio magazine.

The Studio: An Illustrated Magazine of Fine and Applied Art was an illustrated fine arts and decorative arts magazine published in London from 1893 until 1964. The founder and first editor was Charles Holme. The magazine exerted a major influence on the development of the Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts movements.^[1]: 15 It was absorbed into Studio International magazine in 1964.

The Studio: An Illustrated Magazine of Fine and Applied Art

Cover by Aubrey Beardsley for the first issue of The Studio
Editor	Joseph Gleeson White Charles Holme Geoffrey Holme
Categories	fine arts, decorative arts
Frequency	monthly
Publisher	Offices of The Studio "The Studio" Ltd.
Founder	Charles Holme
Founded	1893
First issue	April 1893
Final issue Number	May 1964 853
Country	United Kingdom
Based in	London
Language	English
ISSN	0963-5092

Holmes' firm, The Studio, Ltd., grew to be "Britain's largest publisher of magazines and books on art and design in the first half of the 20th century".^[2]

History

The Studio was founded by Charles Holme in 1893.^[3]: 145 Holme was in the wool and silk trades, had travelled extensively in Europe and had visited Japan and the United States with Lasenby Liberty and his wife Emma.^[3]: 145 During his travels he had formed:^{[4]: 5 [5]: 6}

... the idea of an art magazine crystallised around his recurring observation that the chief barrier between countries was language, and his belief that the more the culture of one part of the world could be brought "visually" to the attention of another, the greater the chance of international understanding and peace.

He retired from trade in order to start The Studio.^[3]: 145

He had hoped to engage Lewis Hind as the editor of the new venture, but Hind went instead to William Waldorf Astor's Pall Mall Budget. He suggested Joseph Gleeson White as an alternative.^[6] Gleeson White edited The Studio from the first issue in April 1893.^[7] In 1895 Holme took over as editor himself, although Gleeson White continued to contribute. Holme retired as editor in 1919 for reasons of health, and was succeeded by his son Charles Geoffrey Holme, who was already the editor of special numbers and year-books of the magazine.^[8]

Under the editorial direction of Joseph Gleeson White and later Charles Holme, The Studio maintained a consistent vision that through unity of fine and applied arts. The magazine's editorial stance was instrumental in promoting the works of artists such as Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Charles Voysey, whose designs were regularly featured and discussed.

Holme's international outlook led to the publication of special editions and yearbooks that extended the magazine's influence beyond the United Kingdom. These publications often included comprehensive surveys of decorative arts from various countries, further cementing The Studio's role as a leading authority in the field. In 1900, Holme organized special numbers like The Studio: Japanese Art Number, which celebrated non-Western aesthetics and sought to cross cultural boundaries through art publishing.^[9]

The magazine

The magazine was monthly; 853 issues were published between April 1893 and May 1964.

The Studio promoted the work of "New Art" artists, designers and architects. It played a major part in introducing the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Charles Voysey to a wide audience, and was especially influential in Europe.^[10]: 9

In keeping with Holme's original concept, the magazine was international in scope. A French edition was published in Paris, differing from the English one only in that the spine and parts of the cover were printed in French, and there was an insert consisting of a French translation of the article text and some French advertisements.

The American edition was titled The International Studio. It had its own editorial staff, and the content was different from that of the English edition, although many articles from that were reprinted. It was published in New York by John Lane & Company from May 1897 until 1921, and by International Studio, Inc., from 1922 until publication ceased in 1931.

In 1894 and then from 1896 on, special numbers of the magazine were also published, normally three times a year. These carried various titles; 117 of them were issued between 1894 and 1940.^[11]

From 1906 onwards The Studio published an annual, The Studio Year-Book of Decorative Art, which dealt with architecture, interior design and design of furniture, lighting, glassware, textiles, metalwork and ceramics. These annuals promoted Modernism in the 1920s, and later the Good Design movement.^[10]: 9

The last edition was published in May 1964, after which it was absorbed into Studio International.

• 
  Cover of the Paris edition of The Studio, volume 53 no. 219, June 1911
• 
  Poster by Léon-Victor Solon advertising The Studio
• 
  Cover of the first Year-Book, 1906

Cover Artists

• Aubrey Beardsley and the Inaugural Cover

First volume of The Studio, published in April 1893, featured a cover designed by the then-emerging illustrator Aubrey Beardsley. The cover’s design marked Beardsley's first significant commission and played a pivotal role in launching his career. Joseph Pennell. “A New Illustrator—Aubrey Beardsley.” Studio International. ^{[12] [13]} Characterized by its black and white comic-like line work and stylized floral patterns, it represented the Art Nouveau aesthetic that the magazine would often utilize. In April 1893, the inaugural issue of The Studio: An Illustrated Magazine of Fine and Applied Art featured an article titled "A New Illustrator - Aubrey Beardsley," penned by Joseph Pennell. Along with his illustrations, it included his interpretation of Oscar Wilde's Salomé, commissioned from publisher John Lane, which was then banned from stage performance in England. ^[14]

The publication of these works in The Studio brought Beardsley widespread attention and acclaim. Beyond Aubrey Beardsley's inaugural cover for The Studio, the magazine became renowned for commissioning artists for its covers, many of whom were at the forefront of the Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts movements:

• Walter Crane

An influential illustrator and designer closely associated with the Arts and Crafts Movement, whose illustrations appeared in early issues. His visual aesthetic set a precedent for integrating decorative elements beyond established floral ones into practical art forms.^[15]

• Robert Anning Bell

Contributed both article illustrations and cover art during the 1890s alongside Beardsley, often working in stained glass and book illustration.^[16]

• Charles Ricketts

Known for his distinctive black-and-white woodcut style, was a recurring presence in The Studio. He contributed illustrations and was admired for his theatrical and book design work.

The cover artworks of The Studio reflected not only stylistic trends but also acted as an extension of its editorial mission - demonstrating the equal value of decorative and fine arts.

Notable Contributors

The magazine served as a platform for numerous artists, designers, and writers who were instrumental in the development of the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau movements. Among the early contributors were:

• Sir Frederic Leighton, P.R.A.

Featured in the inaugural issue with the article "Artists as Craftsmen, No. I: Sir Frederic Leighton, Bart., P.R.A., as a Modeller in Clay," highlighting his work in sculpture and special forms, emphasizing the unity of fine and applied arts.^[17]

• Frank Brangwyn

Contributed "Letters from Artists to Artists, No. I: Sketching Grounds – Spain," accompanied by his illustrations, offering insights into artistic practices and environments.^[18]

• Lasenby Liberty

Authored "Spitalfields Brocades," discussing textile designs and reflecting his involvement with Liberty & Co., a firm known for promoting the Arts and Crafts aesthetic.^[19]

• R.A. Bell, Herbert O. Horne, Washington Hogg, and Alan Wright

Collaborated on an article titled "Designing for Bookplates," showcasing the intersection of graphic design and fine art through eight illustrated examples. ^[20]

• Charles Ricketts and Charles Shannon

Ricketts, a book designer and printer, collaborated with Shannon to establish the Vale Press. Both were featured in early issues for their work in private press and illustration, which significantly influenced the British Art Nouveau print scene.^[21]

• Lucien Pissarro

A key figure in both French Impressionism and British printing arts, Pissarro's wood engravings and decorative illustrations were reproduced in The Studio to introduce modern Continental styles to British audiences.^[22]

• William Nicholson and James Pryde (The Beggarstaff Brothers)

Their minimalist poster work was widely admired, and The Studio featured and critiqued their contributions to graphic design in the 1890s. ^[23]

• Jessie M. King

One of the few female illustrators consistently featured in The Studio, she brought a distinctly ethereal and mythological sensibility to the magazine's visual language. ^[24]

These contributions highlight the interdisciplinary approaches that bridge fine art, design, and craftsmanship featured by the magazine.

Book series

Special numbers of The Studio were edited by the Holmes for separate publication as books.^[25] In addition the following book series were issued:

• Currier & Ives Prints
• Famous Sporting Prints^[26]
• Famous Water-Colour Painters^[27]
• The Gardens of England^[28]
• Hours of Leisure Series^[29]
• How To Do It Series^[30]
• How to Draw^[31]
• Make It Yourself Series (a.k.a. A Make It Yourself Book series)^[32]
• Master Draughtsmen^[33]
• Masters of Painting^[34]
• Masters of the Colour Print^[35]
• Modern Masters of Etching^[36] (sometimes referred on dustjackets as Masters of Etching)
• Modern Photography
• The New Vision^[37][38]
• The Studio Painting Series^[39]
• Treasures of Art^[40]
• Treasures of Illumination^[41]
• The World's Masters^[42]
• The World's Masters: New Series^[43][44]

Furthermore, The Studio Year-Books extended this visual-first mission. The 1906 Year-Book was revolutionary for presenting fully illustrated interiors with floor plans and was considered a precursor to modern lifestyle and architecture publications.