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

Jessie Willcox Smith’s 1920 illustration, “Never mind, Princess Irene,’ he said. ‘You, mustn’t kiss me tonight,’” depicts a young couple in a medieval setting. The boy stands awkwardly outside a doorway, holding his hat, while the young girl in a blue dress peeks out from behind the door. The image is notable for its realistic details and charming portrayal of childhood innocence, which is characteristic of Smith’s work. The painting was created during the Golden Age of Illustration, a period when illustrators like Smith were highly esteemed and their work was widely reproduced in books and magazines.