Menpes, Mortimer Luddington

Mortimer Menpes (1855–1938) was an Anglo-Australian artist, printmaker, and author known for his vividly coloured etchings and watercolours, often capturing the character of foreign cities and cultures. A student of Whistler, Menpes developed a distinctive style, blending fine draughtsmanship with rich colour, and became one of the pioneers of colour book illustration in the early 20th century. He both wrote and illustrated a series of high-quality travel books, most notably Japan, World Pictures, India, Brittany, Paris, Venice, and The Thames. These volumes combined evocative writing with richly reproduced colour plates, offering Edwardian readers a romanticised yet detailed vision of distant places. Menpes’ works are admired for their technical refinement and atmospheric charm, and they helped set a standard for illustrated travel books of the era.