Artwork
Prince Charming in the Forest
Prince Charming in the Forest is a paint drawing by the Romanticist artist Walter Crane. It dates from 1880 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left artist's monogram in red ink: (a crane insidea C framed in a near square rectangle); upper right verso in graphite: End paper / The Sleeping Bea[auty] / lift ha [?] / p.; lRv//in graphite: p. 97-11=117; eRv//in blue ink: Walter Crane (1845- / 1915) / End-pape r for / "Sleeping Beauty"
About this work
Overview
Prince Charming in the Forest is a drawing created by Walter Crane in 1880 using pen, brush, and red ink. It exemplifies his work as a prominent English illustrator of children's literature during the late 19th century.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a solitary figure on horseback navigating a dense forest, a scene drawn from fairy-tale themes common in Crane's work. The forest is rendered with tall, twisting trees and a leaf-covered ground, evoking a sense of intricate natural beauty.
Technique & Style
Crane employed fine lines and small, overlapping strokes to achieve a detailed, textured appearance. The use of red ink and varied line work, including cross-hatching, contributes to the drawing's depth and dimensionality, characteristic of his vivid and intricate designs.
Context
This work is part of a broader movement in late 19th-century English illustration, alongside artists like Randolph Caldecott and Kate Greenaway, who together developed the nursery motif in children's books.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Walter Crane (15 August 1845 – 14 March 1915) was an English artist and book illustrator.
![Sketch of a Couple Seated with Cloud Studies [verso], by Walter Crane](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/walter-crane--sketch-of-a-couple-seated-with-cloud-studies-verso--bd0c5f7cb1d389b6-w320.webp)
![Kensington Gardens [recto], by Walter Crane](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/walter-crane--kensington-gardens-recto--dc8c93f0e2ebbd57-w320.webp)
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