‘Five little sisters’

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Kate Greenaway(1846-1901)

1879

7¾ x 5¾ inches

Coloured wood-block engraving by Edmund Evans

Under the Window, 24

Greenaway’s tendency to abstraction is boldly displayed in this image of five sisters. The artist does not differentiate the faces and presents them in identical costumes; the only difference between them is their size. [Commentary continues below.]

Scan, text and formatting by Simon Cooke.

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Greenaway also uses the image to stress the metaphorical relationship between her children and the flowers that appear throughout her designs. Described as ‘Five little marigolds’, the sisters are placed above five plant pots. The central figure is placed above the largest, and the others above pots of appropriately varying size. As usual, Evans’s engraving and printing are of high quality, preserving the delicacy of the original art-work.

Bibliography

Greenaway, Kate. Under the Window. London: George Routledge, 1879.

Created 14 June 2021