The sweet and touching tale of Fleur and Blanchefleur 1922

Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale made this illustration, The sweet and touching tale of Fleur and Blanchefleur, with some kind of drawing implement, probably ink and possibly watercolour. I love how the bold outlines create simple shapes that are then filled in with flat colours, it’s all so immediate and direct. The first thing I noticed was the sapling with its cartoon yellow trunk. It feels like a prop from a theatre set. Then there's the tree above which seems to be erupting with these bright red flowers. These colours work to create a sense of optimism and youth. I am reminded of the work of Aubrey Beardsley, someone working roughly around the same period. But where his work has a darker, gothic undertone, this has a sense of lightness, almost childishness. Ultimately, it's a celebration of the uninhibited style and a reminder that art is not about perfection, but about expression.