The Dog in the Manger, The Frog and the Bull 1908

Walter Crane made this page of illustrations for children with ink, and probably watercolor too. It’s a perfect example of art as storytelling. Crane has broken up the page into these little narrative friezes. I love how he uses the frame of each panel as a stage. Look at the line work, so crisp, and how the drawing almost has a stamp-like quality. It reminds me of Aubrey Beardsley, or even some German Expressionist woodcuts. Take the frog and the bull scene. See how Crane crams the two characters into this tiny space? The textures are so different, smooth frog skin versus the hairy bull. The frog seems to puff himself up in defiance. The whole image is imbued with the subtle power of the underdog. The message is clear. This isn't just illustration; it's a commentary on human nature, put in deceptively simple terms. It's like Aesop's Fables, but with Crane’s distinctive visual wit.