The Last of the Mohicans
NOVEMBER 3, 2010
I wanted to work with the Folio Society when I saw Sam Weber's great work on Lord of the Flies a little over a year ago, so I was very excited when Art director Sheri Gee asked me to take on the task of illustrating their edition of the first fiction novel ever published in the United States, The Last of the Mohicans, by James Fenimore Cooper.
Anyone who ever has illustrated a book has been asked the question by someone: "Do you actually have to read the books?"
There were 11 interior illustrations as well as a cover.
I had to do one illustration in advance for marketing purposes and to establish the direction of the art. For this illustration I showed multiple sketches...
The first illustration was to be the fight at Glen's Falls waterfall.
The "elephant in the room" for this project was NC Wyeth, who created an iconic series of illustrations for this book in 1919. You can't help but feel like he's standing behind you. He's extremely intimidating.
Waterfall Fight. The finished paintings are 18x28 inches oil on linen.
A detail
Magua. He's not your friend.
Canoe chase. Hard to avoid doing this scene.
The French General Montcalm prevents Magua from shooting at Hawkeye. (He wants his Huron allies to wait and massacre everyone in the morning).
Fight club
Chingacook in disguise.
Uncas captured
One of the more poetic moments of the book. I think this is the most successful of the illustrations.
Thanks to Sheri, Jo and the Folio Society for giving me a chance to indulge myself on this project. The nicest thing about working with them was the sense that we were all on the same page, with the simple goal of making a really beautiful book.
© 2024 Robert Hunt