Paul Landacre

Paul Hambleton Landacre was born in Columbus, OH, on July 9, 1893. He attended Ohio State University as a horticulture major, but a mysterious infection left him partly crippled and cut short his academic career. He moved to Southern California with his widowed father in 1916 and took work as a commercial illustrator.

From 1923 to 1925 he attended Otis Art Institute, and in the latter year married Margaret McCreery. His increasing skill at wood engraving and linocut, particularly of natural and landscape subjects, was first recognized by the bookseller Jake Zeitlin. During the 30s he produced editions of single prints, and illustrations for books published mostly by local fine presses.

Consistently short of money, Landacre was nevertheless able in 1932 to purchase a home on El Moran Street in Los Angeles, where he and his wife lived for the rest of their lives. He derived some income from the Landacre Association, a subscription scheme organized by his friends. Increasing commissions for book illustrations from about 1942 drew his attention away from art prints. The most notable books containing his work are California Hills (1931), The Boar and Shibboleth (1933), five books by Donald Culross Peattie (1939-53), Tales of Soldiers and Civilians (1943), De Rerum Natura (1957), and On the Origin of Species (1963; the latter three titles from the Limited Editions Club).

From 1953 until his death he taught a course at Otis Art Institute. In 1963 his wife died. Four weeks later he committed suicide.

Text © Laguna Art Museum, 2019