Frank Feller (1848–1908) was a Swiss artist who settled in England and made a career as an illustrator and painter. He was particularly well known as a painter of military scenes and as a painter of postcards.
Early life
Feller was born on 28 October 1848 in Bümpliz-Oberbottigen, a district of the city of Bern, Switzerland. He trained in Geneva, Munich, Paris, and London.
Settling in England
By 1871 Feller was a boarder at 6 Euston Grove, St Pancras, London with the profession of Artist. Ten years later, in 1881, he was now a naturalised British subject. He was lodging at 9 Rowland Street, St. Pancras, London.
Marriage and family
Feller married Christine Heuser (Q2 186315 June 1930), on 19 December 1882 at All Saints' Church in Wandsworth, London. Christine had been born in St. George in the East. Her father, Balthazar Heuser (c. 18328 June 1887), ran a Public House here, the Bee-Hive at 71 Christian Street, Whitechapel, London. Her father was a German immigrant who became a naturalised British citizen in 20 April 1874.
The couple had eight children: Victor Maximilian Feller (26 February 18861969), became an engineer, married Nellie Lillian Kentish (c. 188211 September 1971), emigrated to Quebec, Canada in c. 1905, and had at least three children. Elizabeth Louise Marie Feller (26 Feb 1889), married Fritz Georg Rauschenback (c.1886 ), a German bank clerk working in London, in Hackney, London, in the first quarter of 1912. The couple remained in London until 1914, but it is not known how they were affected by the outbreak of the First World War. Margarite Alexandra Christina Feller (21 December 189023 May 1955), who married Charles Chitty Sears (5 February 18781931), a metal merchant's clerk, at the Parish Church in Romford, on 1 September 1914. Frank Charles Feller (Q4 1892) Gordon Montague Feller (14 June 18971 June 1971), served with the Royal Engineers in the First World War, arrived as an emigrant in Canada on 30 October 1920, and immediately joined Canadian Explosives Ltd, a DuPont Company, as a maintenance technician. He married Florence Alberta Tobin (26 October 189617 December 1971), a US Citizen with a Canadian father in 1924. He was transferred first to the Arlington Company, in New Jersey, the forerunner of the DuPont's plastics department, and later to DuPont's experimental station in Delaware, where he ended his career as a draftsman after nearly forty years with the company. Robert Rudolf Balthasar Feller (20 December 189923 December 1958), served in the Royal Air Force in the First World War, Married Mary L. Rogers in Hambledon, Surrey, England in the first quarter of 1932, and was recorded as an off-licence manager in the 1939 register. His youngest sister Louisa was his executrix. Louis Sigried Feller (17 October 1902), a master tailor, shared housing with his sister Christina throughout the 1930s. Served as his mother's executor. Christina Louisa Feller (14 June 1908), a book-keeper and shorthand-typist, was born after the death of her father. Executrix for her brother Robert Rudolf in 19581959. The electoral registers show her sharing different houses with her brother Louis Sigfried during the 1930s.
By 1891 Feller was living at Hazeldene, Knight's Park, Kingston-on-Thames, and described himself as an Artist: Military Painter. He had moved again by 1895, this time to 13 Fitzroy Street. He again moved to 3 Charleville Road, Fulham, London by 1901. He and Christina now had six children. Christina was now operating a millinery and employing others in her enterprise.
Feller's body of work
Feller's work can be divided up into a number of categories: Magazine illustration Military paintings Book illustration Postcards
These categories are not clearly defined and even overlap. Thus many of the magazines illustration and the postcards show military scenes. Book illustration and magazine illustration are not that far apart. However, it is still a useful scheme for looking closely at his body of work.
Magazine illustration
Feller was a contribution to many magazines including: The Badminton Magazine Black and White. Thorpe described Feller as a regular but somewhat conventional contributor. The Boy's Own Paper The Captain The Christian Globe Chums Good Words The Idler The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News The New Budget The Pall Mall Magazine Pearson's Magazine Shurey's Illustrated. Feller was one of the principal illustrators. Shurey's Pictorial Budget. Feller was one of the principal illustrators. Society The Sphere St Paul's Magazine Thorne referred to some of Feller's double page war drawings as indifferent. The Strand Magazine