Design - to the storybook 'The Fairy Ship'

Walter Crane was applied artist, illustrator and painter, one of the innovators of English applied arts and a new taste. He was active in several fields of applied arts, making stained glass, mosaics, tiles, ceramics, tapestry and wallpaper designs. He founded the “Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society” movement in 1888, and was its first president. Today Crane is remembered as one of the most significant children’s book illustrators, who recognised the visual unity of pictures and text among the first. A major Crane-exhibition was held in the Museum of Applied Arts in 1990. At this time several of his works, designs for books and illustrations were purchased by the museum, including this one, made for the end paper of the fairy tale book “The Fairy Ship”. The flatness of the artwork, the lack of perspective and the clearly decorative aims indicate the influence of Japanese art. The light, but firm lines and the definite contours are characteristic of Crane’s work.