Christopher Rothero biography

Christopher Rothero

Christopher Rothero is an expert on the armies of medieval Europe. He has written and illustrated several titles for the OspreyMen-at Arms book series including Men-at-Arms 210 The Venetian Empire 1200-1670, Men-at-Arms 111 The Armies of Crécy and Poitiers, and Men-at-Arms 113 The Armies of Agincourt.

Christopher Rothero has been drawing and making things with his hands for as long as he can remember. In the early days with plasticine, balsa and tissue payer, and scraps of paper brought home by his father. Later it was bits of wood with sharp penknives and chisels. He left school at fifteen and went to the National Sea Training school and then served in the Merchant Navy as a boy seaman.

This was followed by a period in the Regular Army. After four years he was badly injured on exercise in Germany and invalided out of the service. From here he trained to be a teacher specializing in art. There followed twenty years in teaching and the headship of two schools. During this period he also spent his holidays and weekends illustrating books and writing articles.

Eventually he left teaching and pursued a full time career as a book illustrator. He has written and illustrated five books on medieval military history and illustrated over a hundred books written by other authors. He has samples of his artwork in the National Army Museum, the Agincourt Museum France, the Oxford and Bucks Museum, and in various private collections in the United States and Europe.

He recently hecame involved in sculpture and the various materials fascinate him, he especially likes to create in different forms of metal wire, string, screws and nails. He prepares each piece with careful drawings and his love of line and characterization informs each piece of work. Chris hopes that every piece of work gives as much pleasure to the viewing public as it gives Chris to make them
Source: Illustration Art Gallery and Bicester Sculpture Group

See CHRISTOPHER ROTHERO ART ('page not found' if no art currently listed).