Richard Chopping

Richard Wasey Chopping (14 April 1917 – 17 April 2008) was a British illustrator and author best known for painting the dust jackets of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels starting with From Russia, with Love.

Early life Chopping was born in Colchester, Essex, and educated at Gresham's School, Holt.

Illustrator Chopping painted in the trompe-l'œil style, creating a realistic and almost three-dimensional appearance. Among his illustrations are nine covers from 1957 to 1966 for James Bond books by Ian Fleming and the cover of John Gardner's first Bond continuation novel, Licence Renewed (1981). Chopping's second novel, The Ring (1967), was more mundane and much less successful. His short story The Eagle appears in the anthology Lie Ten Nights Awake (1967, ed. Herbert Van Thal).

Private life Chopping's life partner was the landscape painter Denis Wirth-Miller (born 27 November 1915, died 27 October 2010). The two were the first couple to register a Civil Partnership in Colchester. They lived in Wivenhoe for over sixty years, and were the founders of an artist community which included Francis Bacon.

Correspondence with Ian Fleming On 8 April 2010 Swann Galleries auctioned an archive of letters between Chopping, Ian Fleming, and others involved in the production of nine of the 007 covers between 1957 and 1966. The letters touch on details about the jacket art, praise for Chopping's work, payment information, copyright issues and other related topics. The lot sold for $57,600.