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Welcome to Felix Darley's Web Site; first, some "quick" choices:

Scroll down, or ...
Go to "WORD SEARCH"


Other site updates from Carol (Research Historian): July, 2001 - Aug. 2002 GO THERE

F.O.C. DARLEY'S WEB SITE

"An Illustrator for all times"


Photo courtsey of Martha Schiek, Claymont, Delaware. Darley was about 58 yrs. old in this photograph.
The sketch (tipping his hat) is one of himself that he drew on a personal letter

Welcome to the "Homepage" for

FELIX OCTAVIUS CARR DARLEY

(1821 - 1888)

CLAYMONT, DELAWARE RESIDENT and

" VICTORIAN AMERICA'S MOST FAMOUS ILLUSTRATOR "


SOME KEY ACOLADES FOR F.O.C. DARLEY:

"His works helped forge our national identity" (New York Public Library, 1999)

"..the first true illustrator of the American Spirit" (Book of the Artists, 1867)

"The first major American Illustrator..." (Brandywine River Museum guide brochure)

"...the most accomplished and prolific American illustrator before the centennial ..."
(The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin , December, 2000, p. 52.)

"(he) dominated American ... illustration for nearly a half-century..." (The Philadelphia Inquirer, 1999)

"Perhaps the best of Dickens American Illustrators" (Dickens' Illustrators, F.G. Kitton, 1899)

"...(he) was mid-nineteenth century America's most popular book illustrator"
(Delaware Art Museum exhibit catalogue, "...illustrated by Darley," 1978, C. Anne Hahler)

"Perhaps the true father of American illustration was F.O.C. Darley ..." (Myth, Magic, and Mystery, Catalogue of The Chrysler Museum of Art exhibit by the same name; 1997. Essay by Michael Patrick Hearn)

"...one of the most famous illustrators of his time." (The New York Times, 6/25/99)

"(Darley) can well be considered America's first important illustrator. ... (he) was the first of a new Amerian school of illustrators which was to successfully challenge the dominance of English and Continental illustration during the mid-nineteenth century." (Hall of Illustrator's comments in accepting Darley into the Hall in June, 2001)

"... Darley must be considered the most important of the many artists who have provided illustrations for Cooper's novels, in part because -- unlike most others -- he illustrated all 32 of Cooper's novels, and part because those illustrations (first appearing in the Townsend edition of 1859-61) were so widely copied in the decades that followed." (The Fenimore Cooper Society, August, 2001)

Illustrator of works by Charles Dickens, Washington Irving, Edgar Allan Poe,
Henry W. Longfellow, James Fenimore Cooper, and many others.

WEB SITE CONTENTS:

(Click on an item below to go to that page)

KEY "DARLEY RELATED" FEATURES

Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe gave Felix Darley his start (by most accounts) when Felix was twenty years old.

Poe, editor of The Saturday Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1842, liked Felix's work and gave him the break that he needed with publishers. Philadelphia was the American publishing capital at that time.

...Go to Poe Link

Darley Signs contract with E.A. Poe, 1843 (for Poe's planned "The Stylus" magazine).
Go to the contract

==========================================

The editors acknowledge and thank the following for direct and indirect contributions and guidance:

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... Send E-Mail to Carol
Research and Historian,
THE DARLEY SOCIETY, INC.
Claymont, Delaware USA


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=====4=================== END =====================

F.O.C. DARLEY

"An Illustrator for all times"

-------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for stopping by,
Ray Hester & Carol Digel

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LATEST "FRONT PAGE FEATURES":


January 1, 2002:

In 1862, F.O.C. Darley was the first to illustrate
Clement C. Moore's A VISIT FROM SAINT NICHOLAS (T. Nast came in 1863).

GO TO A CHRISTMAS CARD WITH 2 ILLUSTRATIONS


October 2: Photos (click) from the Darley Exhibit
at the Biggs Museum of American Art Go to Biggs Web Site


1st Page of "The American Flag," by Joseph Rodman Drake, illustrated by Darley in 1861

Below, see a great patriotic print by Darley.

Go back to the CLAYMONTDE.ORG site ... OR ... see print below.

Darley won much fame for his patriotic art; a favorite is "FIRST BLOW FOR LIBERTY" (shown here is the "colored" version)

Go to more in Archives


Go back to the CLAYMONTDE.ORG site ... OR ... Go to top of the Darley web site (here)

Delaware U.S. Congressman, The Honorable Michael Castle, have introduced a "Sense of Congress" Resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives in September, 2001, asking the U.S. Postal Service to issue a stamp honoring F.O.C. Darley, "America's first illustrator of note."

This photo, made at Darley Manor Inn ("The Darley House") in Claymont, Delaware on August 28th:

NOTE: The Resolution needed CO-SPONSORS in both the House and Senate ... that were NOT from Delaware. The stamp resolution never came to the floor in either chamber as we were only able to get one NC Rep., and one NY Rep. in addition to our own representatives.

For these "joint resolutions" to make it, one must have WIDE support via co-sponsors of the resolutions. (A lot of resolutions are introduced, but few make it.)

August, 2001:

July 1, 2001:

END. 12/20/01 Carol Digel, Research Historian, The Darley Society See 46 "Darley's" (from Museums) Another Carol Digel find.


An illustration from Sir Walter Scott's THE ANTIQUARY, Ticknor and Fields, 1857. "Miss Wardour's Escape"

Update: Darley listed on Civil War Monument at Antietam Battlefield ... GO THERE


Darley at the Dickens Fellowship Conference

The 95th Dickens Fellowship Annual General Conference was held on the beautiful campus of the College of Mount St. Vincent in Riverdale New York, from July 19th through July 25th, 2001.
...
...

Carol Digel, from the Darley Society and the Philadelphia Branch (Dickens Fellowship) presented a slide show about noted American illustrator, Felix O. Darley, starting out with a Darley illustration of Washington Irving's home, Sunnyside, and finishing with a series of Darley illustrations of Dickens novels, Carol neatly tied together these three contemporaries--Irving, Darley and Dickens-- in her fascinating presentation. ... ... The theme of the conference was "Dickens in New York" (Ray's note: where he met Washington Irving, thus the tie-in to Darley). GOOD JOB, CAROL !! "THANKS!!"


...RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE



Go to Rep. Castle's House Resolution
Go to Senator Biden's Senate Resolution

OPTIONS FOR WRITING YOUR SENATOR AND REP TO
SUPPORT THE F.O.C. DARLEY "STAMP" RESOLUTION:
==================================================================================

(1) log onto www.claymontde.org ... go to the bottom of the page, enter your zip code, "go" then select "OTHER" as the message that you wish to send, type the message, then "send" (this will advise via email ... OR print an addressed letter for you to print out).
------------------------------------------------------

(2) Get your Senator's / Rep's name ... address, and send a letter or card, per below, or as you choose: (you could 'edit' this message and print)
----------------------------------------------------

(3) Call Ray Hester, Executive Director of the Darley Society (800-824-4702), give him your name and address; he'll "write" a card, address it, and mail it to you ... to put your name on it and mail.
======================================================

May xx, 2002

SENATOR xxxxx (or Representative ooooo)
yyy
Washington, DC

Dear Senator XXX ( ... Representative oooooo )

RE: CO-SPONSORSHIP OF SCR 99 (Stamp for F.O.C. Darley)
(... OR ... HCR 216 for the House of Reps)

I request thay you co-sponsor SCR 99 in this legislative session. (... or ... HR 216 IF House)

This resolution is to request the Postmaster General to issue a stamp honoring a famous art patriot, F.O.C. Darley (1821-1888).

Mr. Darley was "America's first illustrator of note," illustrating for such famous artists as Fenimore Cooper, Washington Irving, H.W. Longfellow, and more; he was known as Charles Dickens American illustrator.

His art, via prints, was the first that many Americans owned ... he helped our young country to "see" it's past and present (ie., the Revolutionar War, the West, and city life)

Mr. Darley deserves this recognition for his many contributions to American art.

Sincerely,

(Name)
Address

===========================================================================

ACTUALLY, A BRIEF POST CARD WOULD ALSO ACCOMPLISH ALMOST THE SAME THING:
---------------------

Dear Senator (Representative):

RE: HCR 216 (OR SCR 99), STAMP FOR F.O.C. DARLEY

I request thay you co-sponsor SCR 99 in this legislative session. (... or ... HR 216 IF House)

This resolution is to request the Postmaster General to issue a stamp honoring a famous art patriot, F.O.C. Darley (1821-1888). Mr. Darley was the first American illustrator of note; his patriotic art was the fist art that many in the new country owned. He deserves this honor. (Details are contained in the resolution).

Thank you,

(name and address)
===========================================

Representative Castle's Resolution

(similar to Senator Biden's):

(THE US HOUSE RESOLUTION .. SENATE VERSION ABT. SAME)

``REMEMBERING DARLEY, ILLUSTRATION PIONEER, ACT OF 2001''

______

HON. MICHAEL N. CASTLE
of delaware
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, September 5, 2001

[ Mr. CASTLE. ] Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the ``Remembering Darley, Illustration Pioneer, Act of 2001.'' This legislation expresses the sense of Congress that a commemorative stamp should be issued to honor the great American illustrator Felix Octavius Carr (F.O.C.) Darley and that the Citizens' Stamp Advisory committee should recommend to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued.

The United States was less than fifty years old at the time of F.O.C. Darley's birth in 1821, and contemporary writers often lamented the new nation's lack of myths, legends, and historical associations. However, in collaboration with the writers whose works he illustrated, Darley helped to popularize such icons of national identity as the Pilgrim, the Pioneer, the Minutemen, and the Yankee Peddler. In so doing, he helped define the ways in which American readers imagined much of their own past.

Self-taught, Felix Octavius Carr Darley created an immense volume of work over a long career Beginning as a staff artist with a Philadelphia publisher and then moving to Delaware in 1859, he illustrated on a wide variety of subjects.

While in Delaware, Darley illustrated such famous literary works as Charles Dickens' ``A Tale of Two Cities;'' Nathaniel Hawthorne's ``The Scarlet Letter;'' Clement Clark Moore's a ``A Visit From Saint Nicholas;'' Washington Irving's ``The Legend of Sleepy Hallow,'' ``Rip Van Winkle,'' and the five-volume ``Life of George Washington;'' and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's ``Evangeline.''

Later, in New York, his work was reproduced by numerous book publishers, Harpers Weekly, and other magazines.

So great was Darley's fame during his lifetime that many books were advertised as ``Illustrated by Darley,'' as was the case with Clement Clark Moore's ``A Visit From Saint Nicholas.'' Moore's name did not actually appear on the original cover, only Felix Octavius Carr Darley.

Darley was elected a member of the Academy of Design in 1852. Later he became a member of the Artist's fund Society; and, most recently Darley was inducted into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame in 2001.

Presently, the Delaware home of Felix Ocatvius Carr Darley is listed on the National Historic Register and is maintained by members of the Darley Society.

It is for these reasons that we should take the steps necessary to honor the very first in a long line of great American illustrators, Felix Ocatvius Carr Darley by enacting legislation that will require the Postmaster General to issue a stamp commemorating his great achievements. There is no easier way to show our support for the arts, and for those persons, such as F.O.C. Darley, that have dedicated their lives to brushing just a bit of color into the imaginations of countless Americans.

I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this legislation and recognize Darley's fine work and contributions to our American heritage.


SENATOR JOSEPH BIDEN'S RESOLUTION:

Mr. BIDEN (for himself and Mr. CARPER) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs:

S . Con . Res . 99

Whereas Felix Octavius Carr Darley, a prolific 19th century illustrator and designer, was born on June 22, 1821, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and completed most of his major works while living in Claymont, Delaware, before he died on March 27, 1888;

Whereas Darley was the illustrator for Washington Irving's ``The Legend of Sleepy Hollow'', ``Rip Van Winkle'', ``Tales of a Traveler'', and the five-volume ``Life of George Washington'';

Whereas Darley created the sketches for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's ``Evangeline'', and was the illustrator for the American publications of Charles Dickens, including ``A Tale of Two Cities'';

Whereas Darley designed and executed the two woodcut illustrations for the first printing of Edgar Allen Poe's ``The Gold-Bug'' in the Philadelphia Dollar Newspaper;

Whereas Darley provided illustrations for the first known publication of Clement Moore's ``A Visit from St. Nicholas'', the edition featuring the first change of the last line from ``happy Christmas to all'' to ``merry Christmas to all'';

Whereas, in 1875, Darley engaged in preparing 500 drawings to illustrate a book entitled ``History of the United States'', by B. J. Lossing;

Whereas Darley illustrated more than 500 designs for James Fenimore Cooper's works, including a project involving designs for 64 steel engravings and 120 wood engravings, leading to the publication of ``The Cooper Vignettes'' which showcased the artist's works;

Whereas Darley provided the line drawings for Nathaniel Hawthorne's ``The Scarlet Letter'';

Whereas Darley was elected a member of the Academy of Design in 1852;

Whereas Darley was a member of the Artist's Fund Society and was one of the early members of the American Society of Painters in Watercolors;

Whereas Darley was inducted into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame in 2001; and

Whereas, for his accomplishments, Darley is credited by many scholars with helping to create the pioneer image of American History: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that--


Copyright @ 2002, Ray Hester and Carol Digel, FOCDARLEY.ORG, all rights reserved

An illustration from Sir Walter Scott's THE ANTIQUARY, Ticknor and Fields, 1857. "Miss Wardour's Escape"

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