William Henry Drake (painter)

William Henry Drake (4 June 1856-1926) born in New-York, was an American painter and illustrator known for his illustrations of The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling.

William Henry Drake studied at the Académie Julian in Paris, with Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant and Henri Lucien Doucet.

Back from Europe, he studied at the Cincinnati School of Design, and would often go to the zoo where he could draw the animals, he was then employed by the Museum of Natural History. He continued to study at the Art Students League of New York. In 1878 he worked as a free lance pen and ink artist for such periodicals as Century or Harper’s with animal studies, still lifes and landscapes.

Having developed skills in drawing wild animals, particularly wild cats, in 1894 , he received commissions to illustrate books, including The Jungle Books, by Kipling.
In 1902 he was made an associate member of the National Academy of Design.

William Henry Drake moved to California in 1920.