Women’s History : the heart, art and design of Women Illustrators

Celebrating Women’s History Month won’t be complete without taking a look at some of the spectacular work created by women in the art and publishing world. Many of us were raised on these illustrations. A whole generation enjoyed books and reading as the favored diversion — there were no TVs, computers or other visual medias. Enjoy these samples from the book!

Women Illustrators of the Golden Age! Celebrating Women’s History Month won’t be complete without taking a look at some of the spectacular work created by women in the art and publishing world. Many of us were raised on these illustrations. A whole generation enjoyed books and reading as the favored diversion — there were no TVs, computers or other visual medias. So these illustrations became the springboard for imaginations that soared into the 20th century. This is a valuable and important facet of Women’s History that should not be overlooked.

At the turn of the twentieth century, the demand for magazine and book illustrations was at an all-time high, offering women artists an unprecedented number of professional opportunities. This unique anthology features 120 color and black-and-white artworks by the Golden Age of Illustration’s finest female illustrators, including Beatrix Potter, Kate Greenaway, and Jessie Willcox Smith.

A career in illustration represented an ideal opportunity for women in post-Victorian society. Every well-bred girl was schooled in the arts of sketching and drawing, and by working at home, a woman’s modesty could remain uncompromised. Successful competition in a world dominated by male artists, however, called for determination as well as talent.

This compilation celebrates the accomplishments of twenty-two female illustrators, including Elenore Abbott, Mabel Lucie Attwell, Elizabeth Shippen Green, Ruth Mary Hallock, Jessie Marion King, Dorothy Lathrop, Ida Rentoul Outhwaite, Margaret Winifred Tarrant, and others. We have added in some samples from our favorites Jessie Marion King; Elizabeth Shippen Green, Jessie Willcox Smith and Mabel Lucie Attwell

In many of the examples, you’ll see how the reproduction processes of the day, litho, roto gravure or letterpress, affects the images. In one example, we’ve shown an enlargement which demonstrates the beauty of those early processes.

The book: Women Illustrators of the Golden Age By: Mary Carolyn Waldrep

Enjoy these samples from the book, courtesy of Dover Books ~ click to advance slideshow


BP_mice_working	BP_peter_rabbit	BP_sewing	CMB_geese

ESG_journey	ESG_maden	ESG_maid_marion	ESG_making_a_house

ESG_palace_of_leaves	ESG_prince	HS_red_shoes	IRO_cats

IRO_elves	IRO_frogs	IRO_in_moon	JMK_clarion

JMK_face_was_veiled	JMK_gilliflower_bed	JMK_listening	JMK_mermaid

JMK_weary	JWS_Childhood	JWS_beauty_beast	JWS_children

JWS_mom	JWS_mother	JWS_schooling	KG_garden_girls_detail

KG_garden_girlsl	KG_strolling	MLA_Peter_Pan	MLA_elf

MLA_high_time	MLA_onboard	RMH_garden_of_verse	RMH_kids_at_beach

RMH_playtime	VS_blondine	WI_back	a_womans_hand

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