‘Once more he stept …’

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Once more he stept

Kate Greenaway (1846-1901)

1888

8 x 6¾ inches

Coloured wood-block engraving by Edmund Evans

The Pied Piper of Hamelin, 25

This is a subtle representation of the opening part of the Piper’s revenge. At first, adults look on in interest, and a single child runs towards him; this eventually become a huge crowd. [Commentary continues below.]

Scan, text and formatting by Simon Cooke.

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The scene also shows Greenaway’s capacity to present a detailed tableau, organizing a series of figures within an urban space. She creates a plausible sense of reality by specifying the vegetables and meat along with the accurate representation of the architecture. Greenaway’s deadpan directness also acts, somewhat paradoxically, to heighten the impending horror: the children run towards the Piper innocently, drawn to the tune; and it is only later that we learn of the full implications of his actions.

Bibliography

Browning, Robert. The Pied Piper of Hamelin. London: George Routledge, 1888

Created 15 June 2021