Illustrations Art Gallery

Jessie M. King – Illustrations for Seven Happy Days 1913

Jessie Marion King (March 20, 1875 – August 3, 1949) was a Scottish illustrator mostly of children’s books. She also designed jewellery and fabric, and painted pottery. King was one of the artists known as the Glasgow Girls.

Jessie M. King was made Tutor in Book Decoration and Design at Glasgow School of Art in 1899. Her first published designs, and some people believe her finest, were for the covers of books published by Globus Verlag, Berlin between 1899 and 1902.

Jessie M. King was influenced by the Art Nouveau of the period, and her works correspond in mood with those of The Glasgow Four. Despite the influence of Art Nouveau, she was inspired to create unique designs where she did not literally translate the real world. “I would not copy designs,” she said, “but insisted on drawing out of my head.” During her early period, she created detailed pen and ink illustrations on vellum.

I’m excited to introduce the latest scans of Jessie M. King’s greatest work: Seven Happy Days. Published in 1913 as a Christmas Supplement for the Studio Magazine. They are absolutely gorgeous, each of the color illustration is heightened in silver or gold. Jessie M. King has done many great works before, notably The Defense of Guenevere and The High History of the Holy Graal. But they are pale in comparison with the Seven Happy Days illustrations , done for the Studio Magazine.

First, the quality of the of the illustrations, perfect composition of each and all the beautiful details and copious decorations that she painstakingly put in her works. Second, the quality of the lithographic prints is the best among all her works, can’t be better. Perfect reproduction, the silver and gold touches are seemingly done by hand, as no copies I have are alike, each illustration is unique and have a life of its own.

Other Jessie Marion King illustrated works available in our gallery: The Defence of Guenevere, A House of Pomegranates, The High History of the Holy Graal, The Mummy’s Bedtime Story Book, Poems of Spenser, Habitation Forcee.

Art Gallery: Jessie M. King – Seven Happy Days 1913

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