The Fairy Circus 1931

Dorothy Lathrop made this drawing, The Fairy Circus, in black ink on, I imagine, fairly absorbent paper. Just look at the scratchy lines defining the shaggy fur of that magnificent mouse! And those tiny fairies, draped over toadstools, gazing upwards in awe. I bet Lathrop was thinking about the magic of storytelling, maybe she’d been reading fairy tales, and wanted to create her own enchanted world. Think about how she built up the blacks, hatching lines to create depth and shadow. The texture feels almost velvety, a real contrast to the crisp white of the creatures. The fairy on the mouse raises its arm, gesturing towards the starlight. That gesture, like a brushstroke, conveys so much—wonder, excitement, invitation. Lathrop’s work reminds me of other illustrators like Arthur Rackham and Kay Nielsen, all conjuring strange, beautiful worlds with just pen and ink. It’s like they’re all in conversation, each adding their own voice to the chorus. Isn’t it amazing how a simple drawing can open up such a huge space for our imaginations?