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Margaret Tarrant and her pictures
This book shows some of the best loved pictures by Margaret Tarrant which children have been enjoying so much over the years. It also contains brief details of her life.
The cover picture shows one of four calendar pages published by The Medici Society in 1922 and the book contains three of Margaret Tarrant's favourite subjects - children, wild flowers and dance.
The cover picture shows one of four calendar pages published by The Medici Society in 1922 and the book contains three of Margaret Tarrant's favourite subjects - children, wild flowers and dance.
26 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1982
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 25, 2021
This book very definitely leaves the reader feeling like Oliver Twist - wanting more!
Margaret Tarrant was born in Battersea and as a 10-year-old at Clapham High School she won a series of awards for her drawing. Aged 17 she began training as an art teacher but very quickly decided that teaching was not for her so, with her father's blessing, she decided to become an artist and illustrator, following in her father's footsteps.
When she was 20 she was commissioned to illustrate a new edition of Charles Kingsley's 'The Water Babies' and thus began her career as a book illustrator. Her reputation secured because of her delightful book illustrations, in 1920 she began working for The Medici Society for whom she produced books, greetings cards and calendars.
Her favourite subjects were children, wild flowers, fairies and dance, and she repeatedly returned to these for much of her work. And John Gurney's absolutely delightful book features many examples of this work, including 'He Prayeth Best' [a young shepherd boy on the hillside knelt in prayer with two lambs around him] from 1933 of which I have a large print on my walls, along with one other untitled print of children in a forest with fairies dancing around.
In 1935 she formed a friendship with fellow artist Molly Brett and when her health deteriorated in the early 1950s, she let her house in Peaslake, Surrey, and moved to Cornwall where she lived with her friend until her death on 28 July 1959.
With a short timeline of her life and work, 'Margaret Tarrant and her pictures' is a soothing book to read and look at, for her work transports the reader to much more pleasant times that can be enjoyed over and over again.
Margaret Tarrant was born in Battersea and as a 10-year-old at Clapham High School she won a series of awards for her drawing. Aged 17 she began training as an art teacher but very quickly decided that teaching was not for her so, with her father's blessing, she decided to become an artist and illustrator, following in her father's footsteps.
When she was 20 she was commissioned to illustrate a new edition of Charles Kingsley's 'The Water Babies' and thus began her career as a book illustrator. Her reputation secured because of her delightful book illustrations, in 1920 she began working for The Medici Society for whom she produced books, greetings cards and calendars.
Her favourite subjects were children, wild flowers, fairies and dance, and she repeatedly returned to these for much of her work. And John Gurney's absolutely delightful book features many examples of this work, including 'He Prayeth Best' [a young shepherd boy on the hillside knelt in prayer with two lambs around him] from 1933 of which I have a large print on my walls, along with one other untitled print of children in a forest with fairies dancing around.
In 1935 she formed a friendship with fellow artist Molly Brett and when her health deteriorated in the early 1950s, she let her house in Peaslake, Surrey, and moved to Cornwall where she lived with her friend until her death on 28 July 1959.
With a short timeline of her life and work, 'Margaret Tarrant and her pictures' is a soothing book to read and look at, for her work transports the reader to much more pleasant times that can be enjoyed over and over again.
sony-or-android
February 27, 2022Not this, but some of her pictures in books of fairy tales etc. are on openlibrary.org.
June 3, 2026
A very small book but great for what it is. It's a huge shame there doesn't seem to be any other books about Margaret or her work.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews