Browne worked in
watercolour and
pen and ink. He was a member of the
Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours (RI) and a founder member of the
Royal Society of British Artists (RBA). Browne was an early member of the
Society of Graphic Art and showed three works at their first exhibition in 1921. Some sources say that Browne began accepting commissions when still a student as money was in short supply at home as his father had been unwell in 1867 and was partly incapacitated by illness. However, Kirkpatrick considers this unlikely as Browne was only 9 years of age in 1867, and that his earliest known illustrations only appeared in 1875. Brown's first book illustrations was for
The Day After the Holidays (1875), a school story by Ascott R Hope. This inaugurated numerous commissions for books and for contributions to periodicals. The first book he illustrated for Blackie was
Facing Death: The Hero of the Vaughan Pit (1882) by
G. A. Henty. His historical research for his illustrations was painstaking. He assembled a collection of armour, helmets, pistols, daggers, swords, uniforms, and even saddles. When working, he would refer to these constantly to ensure his depictions of historic dress and arms were accurate. Such was Browne's renown for his careful research that George Bernard Shaw, in a review of
Stories of Old Renown by Ascot R. Hope said: ''Mr. Hope describes Guy of Warwick as unhorsed, and fighting the dragon with his sword after he has been thrown and has lost his spear. Mr. Gordon Browne's illustration shows Guy on horseback fighting with his sword. Which is right?''
Example of book illustration Browne illustrated fourteen of
G. A. Henty's novels, including the first seven published by
Blackie and Son. One of these was
Facing Death: The Hero of the Vaughan Pit: A Tale of the Coal Mines. This was first published by Blackie in 1882 with six drawings by Gordon Browne. A second version of the first edition was published in the same year, but this time with eight illustrations as shown here. File:01 Bulldog finds a friend-Illustration by Gordon Browne for Facing Death by G A Henty.jpg|Bulldog finds a friend File:02 In the old shaft - will he be saved-Illustration by Gordon Browne for Facing Death by G A Henty.jpg|In the old shaft - will he be saved File:03 Nelly's first lesson-Illustration by Gordon Browne for Facing Death by G A Henty.jpg|Nelly's first lesson File:04 a life and death struggle-Illustration by Gordon Browne for Facing Death by G A Henty.jpg|A life and death struggle File:05 Jack is victorious-Illustration by Gordon Browne for Facing Death by G A Henty.jpg|Jack is victorious File:06 The new school mistress-Illustration by Gordon Browne for Facing Death by G A Henty.jpg|The new school mistress File:07 After the first explosion - the search party-Illustration by Gordon Browne for Facing Death by G A Henty.jpg|After the first explosion - the search party File:08 saved-Illustration by Gordon Browne for Facing Death by G A Henty.jpg|Saved
Authors illustrated by Browne The range of authors whose books were illustrated by Brown is extensive and the list, drawn from a range of sources includes: •
Grant Allen (1848–1899), a
Canadian science writer and novelist. •
Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875), a prolific
Danish author best remembered for his
fairy tales. •
Sir Edwin Arnold (1832–1904), an
English poet and journalist, who is most known for his work
The Light of Asia. • Helen Atteridge (1856–1931), author of
children's fiction. •
R. M. Ballantyne (1825–1894), a prolific
Scottish author of juvenile fiction and an accomplished
water-colourist. • Alice Banks, who wrote books for young children. •
R. D. Blackmore (1825–1900), an
English novelist now best remembered for
Lorna Doone. •
Catherine Christian (1901–1895), an
English novelist, known for her children's books and re-telling of
Arthurian legends. •
Harry Collingwood (1843–1922), a writer of boys'
adventure fiction, usually in a
nautical setting. •
Alice Corkran (1843–1916), an
Irish author of children's fiction and an editor of children's magazines and annuals. •
E. E. Cowper (1859–1933), Edith Eliza Cowper, a prolific
English author of juvenile fiction, much of which was published by the
SPCK, who had eight children by
Frank Cowper, yachtsman and author, from whom she separated shortly after the last of her children was born. •
Samuel Rutherford Crockett (1859–1914), a prolific
Scottish novelist, who wrote more than 60 books. •
F. J. Harvey Darton (1878–1936), an author,
publisher, and
historian of children's literature. •
Countess d'Aulnoy (c. 16501705), a French writer best known for her
fairy tales. •
Daniel Defoe (c. 16591731), who wrote
Robinson Crusoe and
A Journal of the Plague Year among other works. •
Miguel de Cervantes (c. 15471616), a Spanish writer best known for
Don Quixote. •
Evelyn Everett-Green (1856–1932), who moved from pious stores for children, through historical romances, to adult romances under a range of pseudonyms. •
Juliana Horatia Ewing (1841–1885), an
English writer of children's stories, which show both an insight into childhood and a strong religious faith. •
B. L. Farjeon (1838–1903), a prolific
English novelist, playwright, printer and journalist. •
Frederick Farrar (1831–1903), an
Anglican cleric, schoolteacher, and author of essays and of boys' school stories. •
George Manville Fenn (1831–1909), a prolific author of fiction for young adults. • Amy Le Feuvre (1861–1929), a prolific author of books for children with a Christian message. •
Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué (1777–1843), a
German writer of the Romantic style. •
Jean Froissart (c . 1337c. 1405), a French-speaking
medieval author and court historian whose work embodied the
chivalric revival. •
Thomas Guthrie (1803–1873), a
Scottish religious preacher and
philanthropist. •
George Halse (1826–1895), an
English sculptor, novelist, and poet. •
Herbert Hayens (1861–1944), who wrote
juvenile fiction and school-books •
G. A. Henty (1832–1902), a prolific writer of boy's
adventure fiction, often set in a historical context, who had himself served in the military and been a
war correspondent. •
Silas Hocking (1850–1935), a prolific
Cornish novelist and a
Methodist preacher. • Edwin Hodder (1837–1904), a prolific author on many topics including travel, geography, history, and religion. •
Ascott R. Hope (1846–1927), a prolific author of children's books, especially
school stories, and of
Black's Guides. • Frank Hudson, an
English novelist who wrote on sporting topics and for children. •
Washington Irving (1783–1859), an
American short-story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat who wrote
Rip Van Winkle and other stories. • Harry Jones (1823–1900), an
Anglican cleric and author, magazine contributor and editor, and a chaplain-in-ordinary to
Queen Victoria. •
Andrew Lang (1844–1912), the prolific
Scottish author interested in folk and
fairy tales. •
Lord Tennyson (1809–1892), the
Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom during much of
Queen Victoria's reign. • Mary MacLeod (1859–1914), an
editor and
publisher's reader who summarised stories from
Shakespeare and others for children. •
John Masefield (1878–1967), an
English poet and writer, and UK Poet Laureate from 19301967. •
L. T. Meade (1844–1914), Elizabeth Thomasina Meade Smith, a prolific
Irish writer of stories for girls. •
Mrs Molesworth (1839–1921), an English writer of children's stories, who also wrote adult novels under a
pseudonym. • Alice T. Morris (1851–1955), wrote illustrated books for young children, married book designer and graphic artist
Talwin Morris. •
E. Nesbit (1858–1924), an English poet and novelist who wrote
The Railway Children among other works. •
Barry Pain (1864–1928), an English journalist, poet and writer. •
Charles Reade (1814–1884), an English novelist and dramatist. •
Talbot Baines Reed (1852–1893), an English writer of boys' fiction, especially school stories. •
William Clark Russell (1844–1911), an English writer, best known for his novels in nautical settings. •
George Edmund B. Saintsbury (1845–1933), an English writer, literary historian, scholar, critic and wine
connoisseur. •
Walter Scott (1771–1832), the
Scottish historical novelist, poet, and historian who wrote
Ivanhoe. •
William Shakespeare (1564–1616), the
Bard of Avon. •
R. L. Stevenson (1850–1894), the
Scottish poet and novelist who wrote
Treasure Island and other
adventure fiction. •
Jonathan Swift (1667–1745), an
Anglo-Irish satirist, essayist, pamphleteer, poet and
cleric, best remembered for ''
Gulliver's Travels''. • Georgina M. Synge (1858–1911), who wrote books for young children, and on travel. •
William Makepeace Thackeray (1811–1863), a
British novelist, author and illustrator born in
India, best known for
Vanity Fair. •
Ethel Sybil Turner (1870–1958), an
English-born
Australian novelist and writer of children's fiction. •
Percy Westerman (1875–1959), a prolific author of boys'
adventure fiction, many with military and naval themes.
Example of self-illustration Browne wrote and illustrated several books for young children using the pen name
A. Nobody. The following shows an example of the simplified style he used for young children. File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 001.jpg|Front Cover File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 002.jpg|Frontispiece File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 003.jpg|Title page File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 004.jpg|Page 1 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 005.jpg|Page 2 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 006.jpg|Page 3 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 007.jpg|Page 4 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 008.jpg|Page 5 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 009.jpg|Page 6 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 010.jpg|Page 7 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 011.jpg|Page 8 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 012.jpg|Page 9 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 013.jpg|Page 10 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 014.jpg|Page 11 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 015.jpg|Page 12 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 016.jpg|Page 13 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 017.jpg|Page 14 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 018.jpg|Page 15 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 019.jpg|Page 16 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 020.jpg|Page 17 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 021.jpg|Page 18 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 022.jpg|Page 19 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 023.jpg|Page 20 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 024.jpg|Page 21 File:Nonsense for somebody, anybody or everybody, particularly the baby-body (1895) by Gordon Browne 025.jpg|Back Cover
Magazine Illustration Browne illustrated for many magazines. The following list is based on page 79 of Kirkpatrick, the source is indicated where names have been drawn from other sources: • Andy
Example of magazine illustration The following example of magazine illustration shows the scale of work involved in illustrating even a single serial story.
The Sorceress of the Strand by L T Meade and Robert Eustace appeared as a serial in the
Strand Magazine volumes 24 and 25 in 19021903. It was copiously illustrated by Browne. File:Strand mag vol24--p 387--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|Do you want a match, sir? File:Strand mag vol24--p 389--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|I am a beautifier File:Strand mag vol24--p 391--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|This is my sanctum sanctorum File:Strand mag vol24--p 393--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|Why are you afraid of her File:Strand mag vol24--p 394--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|She bowed, and the peculiar look she had before given me flashed over her face File:Strand mag vol24--p 396--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|She jumped up from the table File:Strand mag vol24--p 397--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|I counsel you, Mr. Selby, to guard your life File:Strand mag vol24--p 399--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|I had lost to him nearly £200,000! File:Strand mag vol24--p 400--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|Vandeleur in an open fly dashed through File:Strand mag vol24--p 505--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|Lady Kennedy told me all about it File:Strand mag vol24--p 507--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|It must be done File:Strand mag vol24--p 508--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|She is preparing to convulse society File:Strand mag vol24--p 511--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|Forewarned is forearmed File:Strand mag vol24--p 513--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|We quite understand each other, don't we, nurse? File:Strand mag vol24--p 514--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|Madame wrote something on her neck File:Strand mag vol24--p 516--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|What is it, little one? File:Strand mag vol24--p 518--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|Rebecca Curt was standing in the middle of the room File:Strand mag vol24--p 644--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|She treated her with a rare want of sympathy File:Strand mag vol24--p 645--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|How kind of you to come File:Strand mag vol24--p 646--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|He dashed headlong down File:Strand mag vol24--p 648--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|You must not scold me File:Strand mag vol24--p 650--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|You mean Madame Sara? File:Strand mag vol24--p 652--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|A phlegmatic-looking man opened the door for us File:Strand mag vol24--p 655--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|There in the moonlight... File:Strand mag vol24--p 656--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|Either you are the spectre, or it is supernatural File:Strand mag vol24--p 657--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|Beneath the window lay a dark, huddled heap File:Strand mag vol25--p 068--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|Professor Pozzi entered File:Strand mag vol25--p 070--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|You exceed the limits of propriety File:Strand mag vol25--p 072--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|Ah! There are few women so kind File:Strand mag vol25--p 073--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|Who would want to take my life? File:Strand mag vol25--p 075--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|I will revenge myself on Madame to the last drop of my blood File:Strand mag vol25--p 077--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|I am sorry to hear of his illness File:Strand mag vol25--p 078--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|Are your operations for securing patent rights complete? File:Strand mag vol25--p 080--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|He reeled and made a lunge forward File:Strand mag vol25--p 198--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|It is a curious fact File:Strand mag vol25--p 200--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|Don't look at me File:Strand mag vol25--p 202--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|I observed a man File:Strand mag vol25--p 204--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|I do not know envy Ali Khan his billet File:Strand mag vol25--p 205--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|Heaven help me! File:Strand mag vol25--p 207--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|Look closely at it if you will File:Strand mag vol25--p 208--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|A man with a mask over his face approached her File:Strand mag vol25--p 210--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|Two minutes later we were rushing through the night towards London File:Strand mag vol25--p 280--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|Laura's old nurse thrust a note into his hand File:Strand mag vol25--p 281--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|My friend, Sir Joseph Dixby File:Strand mag vol25--p 282--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|You are certain you will not turn coward? File:Strand mag vol25--p 283--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|She lashed the animal File:Strand mag vol25--p 285--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|She sat still File:Strand mag vol25--p 286--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|The smile faded from his face File:Strand mag vol25--p 287--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|There is no help whatever in that direction File:Strand mag vol25--p 289--Sorceress of the Strand.jpg|The great Madame Sara ==Death==