Although this Almanack was not meant for children, it is full of Kate Greenaway's beautiful illustrations of an idyllic Victorian childhood. Each page is devoted to a articular month and provides useful information including the astrological sign for the month, important events and birthdays on each date, and other information that would have been of interest to people living in Victorian England, such as the first day of partridge shooting season.
Above is the inside flap which indicates that the almanac was published by Edmund Evans, who was closely associated with Walter Crane. The next page reads: "The New Year's Come Again, Ah, well-a-day! How soon they come, how soon they pass away!" A very wise observations.
Each page is illustrated with one or more child engaged in pastoral activities such fishing, milking cows, or just playing at innocent games. The world that it depicts perhaps never existed, but by portraying an idyllic innocent childhood, Greenaway helped shift public opinion on what children's lives ought to be like. More importantly, the activities of the children match the astrological signs of the each month.
Here two rosey cheeked children are carrying a pail of water they have drawn from the well. Instead of the begrimed farm children one might expect, they are daintily dressed. The illustration alludes to the fact January is associated with Aquarius, the Water Bearer.
February depicts a young boy bringing home is catch of fish which he has caught using a simple home-made rod. In Kate Greenaway's illustrations, no one ever went hungry and lakes were not frozen over even in February. The fishing scene is in keeping with the fact that February is associated with the sign of Pisces.
For the month of September, the sign of Libra (the balance), Greenaway has drawn two innocent children playing on a home-made seesaw.
Here are some of Kate Greenaway illustrations and drawings spanning different periods of her career. Click on the thumbnails to view the full image.
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