ABC [ink & watercolour drawings], ca. 1935 / Ida Rentoul Outhwaite

PXE 991

fonds

ca. 1935

Graphic Materials, Drawings

826095

53 drawings (on 26 card or cardboard mounts) - ink & watercolour - 28 x 39 cm or smaller (mounts), 30 x 41 cm (box)

Ida Rentoul Outhwaite was regarded internationally as Australia’s greatest chidren’s book illustrator in her heyday of 1910-1933. British critics compared her favourably with British contemporaries Arthur Rackham and Edmund Dulac. In Australia however she had no equal although her works were successful enough to result in the formation of an “Elves & Fairies” school of illustration during the 1920s. As such, her work’s appeal and her influence provides a valuable contrast and comparison with the work of someone like May Gibbs (1877-1969). Before Outhwaite’s arrival, the field of children’s book illustration in Australia was not one to which any illustrator could or would have dedicated their entire output. Outwaite remains the most outstanding example of an Australian children’s book illustrator to achieve lasting international regard.

Reference:
Library correspondence file

There is a watercolour and an ink drawing for each letter of the alphabet and they each vary slightly but with the common theme represented consistently. For example with the letter A the full watercolour shows children picking apples from a tree and the ink drawing an enlargement of apples alone.


Cover [full watercolour]
A [apples]
B [bunny rabbits]
C [crocodile]
D [ducks/ducklings]
E [emus]
F [frogs]
G [goldfish]
H [hairy anteater]
I [icebergs]
J [jackass, ie kookaburra]
K [koala]
L [lyre bird]
M [mushrooms]
N [nymphs]
O [octopus]
P [parrot, ie Eastern rosella]
Q [queen bee]
R [robin]
S [swan, black & white]
T [tree, fern]
U [umbrella
V [violets]
W [wombats]
X [Xmas}
Y [yellow wattle}
Z [zebra]

Handwritten pagination order (alphabetical) preserved

Copyright status:: In copyright - Life of creator plus 70 years
Rights and Restrictions Information:: No reproduction without prior written approval of copyright holder.
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holder

Title taken from box

Housed in purpose-built green cloth bound box with lid

handwritten pencil pagination at upper left corner of each page
“The Artist’s Supply / Depot / W. & G. Dean Pty. Ltd. / 346 Lt. Collins St. Melb” – stamped on reverse of cardboard mounts
“Cover” – handwritten in pencil on reverse of cover

Australian Inspiration - State Library of New South Wales (8 July - 27 September, 2015)