WW Denslow: The Struggling Artist

William Wallace Denslow was a larger than life illustrator, cartoonist, and designer. He was born in Philadelphia in 1856. He studied at the National Academy of Design in New York. However, many people have said that he was a self-taught artist. Unlike some of his contemporaries, who often studied for years as apprentices to master artists, Denslow struck out to have a career as a newspaper artist.

Being a commercial artist was not considered on the same level as fine artists. Other artists who were popular during Denslow’s career included Van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, Georges Seurat, and Frank Lloyd Wright, all of which are considered legendary. Denslow, on the other hand, had he not illustrated the Wizard of Oz, would most likely be forgotten in the books of history.

Roycroft Press

In his 20’s, Denslow live the bohemian life. He worked briefly for the Chicago Herald, but lost his job to heavy drinking. He stayed in the newspaper business, traveling to Denver and on to San Francisco. The Woldr’s Columbian Exposition in 1893 brought him back to Chicago. Once back in Chicago, he designed theater costumes, as well as posters for magazines, newspapers and books.

He came to be the first professional artist employed at the Roycroft press, a new book publisher in Chicago.

Early jobs there included designs and title pages for various publications. Denslow also did freelance work for the Montgomery Wards catalog, and designing cover art for Rand McNally. He eventually became a political cartoonist for the Roycroft press’s monthly magazine, <i>The Philistine</i>. His work as a political cartoonist would later fuel the idea that the Wizard of Oz was a <a href=”politicalwizardofoz.php”>political work.

Denslow and Baum

Denslow was so well respected that his unique seahorse signature was incorporated into Roycroft’s watermark. But wasn’t until he teamed with L. Frank Baum that he gained popularity. Their first book “Father Goose” became the best children’s book of 1900. The illustrations of Father Goose reflected the style of contemporary William Morris, a prominent figure in the Arts and Crafts movement.

When the Wonderful Wizard of Oz became a huge success, it caused much stress between L. Frank Baum. Frank Baum, who’s book combined many of his boyhood stories and fears felt that it was his story that made the Wizard of Oz a great success. W. W. Denslow felt that his illustrations made the book a success. Denslow felt that his illustrations breathed life into the land of oz.

Copyright issues caused a permanent rift with Frank Baum when the production of stage version of Wizard of Oz did not want to grant equal royalties to Baum, Denslow and the composer Pal Tietjens. Denslow’s and Baum’s partnership was officially over.

Denslow’s share of the copyright holdings allowed him to create newspaper cartoons about Father Goose, The Tinwoodsman and the Scarecrow, all without Baum’s consent. He also published two children’s books, Mother Goose, and the Night Before Christmas, based on the poem. He even purchased his own island off the coast of Bermuda and dubbed himself King Denslow I of Denslow Island.

The End of the Yellow Brick Road

Ironically, his fame with the Wizard of Oz would fade quickly. His split with Frank Baum meant that John R. Neill would illustrate the rest of the series. Denslow’s artwork was slowly abandoned, and John R Neill started creating his own view of the characters and land of Oz.

By 1913, Denslow was struggling to live on a salary of just $25 a week, working in an advertising agency in New York City. He sold a full color cover to Life magazine, and went out to celebrate. It was his last big hurrah. He got drunk that night and caught pneumonia. Denslow died on March 29, 1915

Denslow’s name and artwork did not surface again until Donald Abbot released several new Oz books with Denslow style illustrations in the 1990’s.