In Fairyland. Elf Prince courting Fairy. Antique print c1905

by Evans, Edmund

This is a little Play in Three Acts.
Scene: a Toadstool.
Characters: a sentimental Elf and a wayward Fairy.

Enter, an Elf in search of a Fairy.
He finds her, and this is the consequence.
She runs away, and this is his condition.

Three small coloured engravings on one page.. a delightful group of theatrical illustrations for Richard Doyle's play for fairies and elves. Original colour-printed wood engraving by Edmund Evans to illustrate Richard Doyle's In Fairyland published in London c1905.

Gifted with a light heart, from an early age Richard Doyle (1824-1883), drew juvenalia (children's subjects) - and excelled in drawing fairies. The most gifted of a family of artists 'Dickie Doyle' illustrated his first book, Home for the Holidays when he was 12. From 1840 he collaborated with prolific humorous illustrator John Leech (1817-1864), and became most proficient in wood engraving after lessons from Punch illustrator, Joseph Swain (1820-1909). 

Working in London from around 1860, Edmund Evans (1826-1905) was one of the finest colour-printers, highly regarded as an illustrator of children's toy books, picture books and book covers. His particular skill was in the mixing of colours for the print impressions, rather than just printing successive layers of individual colour.

Page size is 275 x  380mm (10 1/2 x 14 7/8 inches).