» Jessie Wilcox Smith - Illustrations for At the Back of the North Wind 1919

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Jessie Wilcox Smith – Illustrations for At the Back of the North Wind 1919

Select Jessie Wilcox Smith – At the Back of the North Wind 1919 Jessie Wilcox Smith – At the Back of the North Wind 1919 — *At the Back of the North Wind* (1919)

At the Back of the North Wind (1919), George MacDonald’s timeless mystical fable, was graced with one of the most beautiful American illustrated editions of the early 20th century through the artistry of Jessie Willcox Smith. Published by David McKay in Philadelphia, this deluxe volume presents MacDonald’s profound story of young Diamond’s celestial journeys with Smith’s characteristically luminous illustrations that blend realism with ethereal wonder. Her full-color plates capture the North Wind’s dual nature – appearing alternately as a terrifying cosmic force and a tender maternal figure – while her delicate pen drawings perfectly render Diamond’s childlike innocence against both gritty Victorian London streets and transcendent dreamscapes. The book’s production values match its artistic merit, with thick ivory pages, gilt-edged leaves, and Smith’s color plates carefully tipped-in to preserve their vibrant hues.

About Jessie Willcox Smith (1863-1935):
One of America’s most celebrated illustrators, Smith was a central figure in the Golden Age of Illustration and member of the famed “Red Rose Girls” artist collective. Trained at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts under Thomas Eakins, she developed a distinctive style that combined academic precision with poetic sensibility. Smith revolutionized children’s book art through her ability to capture childhood’s essence without sentimentality, working primarily in oil and watercolor. Her prolific career included creating the iconic “Good Housekeeping” cover illustrations for 15 years and illustrating over 40 books. This 1919 edition represents her mature period, where her mastery of light and emotional depth found perfect expression in MacDonald’s spiritual allegory.

For admirers of this edition, consider:

The Water-Babies (1916) also illustrated by Jessie Wilcox Smith
The Princess and the Goblin illustrated by Arthur Hughes (MacDonald’s original collaborator)
Robert Louis Stevenson. A Child’s Garden of Verses, Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, 1905.

Art Gallery: Jessie Wilcox Smith – At the Back of the North Wind 1919

Jessie Wilcox Smith - At the Back of the North Wind (jwsmith-wind01) [art, illustrations]
Jessie Wilcox Smith -Illustrations for At the Back of the North Wind. First edition, 1919.

Jessie Wilcox Smith - At the Back of the North Wind (jwsmith-wind02) [art, illustrations]
Jessie Wilcox Smith -Illustrations for At the Back of the North Wind. First edition, 1919.

Jessie Wilcox Smith - At the Back of the North Wind (jwsmith-wind03) [art, illustrations]
Jessie Wilcox Smith -Illustrations for At the Back of the North Wind. First edition, 1919.

Jessie Wilcox Smith - At the Back of the North Wind (jwsmith-wind04) [art, illustrations]
Jessie Wilcox Smith -Illustrations for At the Back of the North Wind. First edition, 1919.

Jessie Wilcox Smith - At the Back of the North Wind (jwsmith-wind05) [art, illustrations]
Jessie Wilcox Smith -Illustrations for At the Back of the North Wind. First edition, 1919.

Jessie Wilcox Smith - At the Back of the North Wind (jwsmith-wind06) [art, illustrations]
Jessie Wilcox Smith -Illustrations for At the Back of the North Wind. First edition, 1919.

Jessie Wilcox Smith - At the Back of the North Wind (jwsmith-wind07) [art, illustrations]
Jessie Wilcox Smith -Illustrations for At the Back of the North Wind. First edition, 1919.

Jessie Wilcox Smith - At the Back of the North Wind (jwsmith-wind08) [art, illustrations]
Jessie Wilcox Smith -Illustrations for At the Back of the North Wind. First edition, 1919.