‘Never mind, Princess Irene,’ he said. ‘You, mustn’t kiss me tonight.’ 1920

Jessie Willcox Smith created this illustration, ‘Never mind, Princess Irene,’ he said. ‘You mustn’t kiss me tonight,’ as an artistic interpretation of a literary scene. It speaks to the cultural fascination with fairy tales and children's literature in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Here, Smith uses visual cues to create meaning around social class. Note the architectural setting, the clothing of the figures, and their gestures. The children are set against an imposing doorway, emphasizing the themes of childhood and social status present in the original story. Smith, working in America, engages with the social dynamics of her time, reinforcing traditional gender roles and class distinctions. The image is of its time, the time of the American Illustration movement, and it reflects the cultural values of its era through its idealized depiction of childhood and social hierarchy. Exploring the history of illustration and children's literature through resources like period magazines, books, and exhibition records enriches our understanding of this artwork and its place in the broader cultural landscape.