The Scarecrow sat on the big throne 1900

William Wallace Denslow created this image as an illustration for "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," using ink and halftone printing. Denslow was a master of the printing process, which, like many forms of mass media, involves a separation of design from production. Here, we can observe how the line work provides structure for the composition, while the color defines the atmosphere. The cross-hatching, stippling, and fine linework give depth and texture to the figures, despite the limited color palette. The flat planes of color enhance the images dreamlike, whimsical quality. Interestingly, the image’s very subject is a form of fabrication, with the Wizard himself revealed as a humbug. Like the Emerald City, the picture presents a world made of illusion. Denslow’s choices reflect an early-20th-century interest in the machine aesthetic, where visual appeal and replicability go hand in hand. This print reminds us that even fantasy is produced through tangible means, shaped by the techniques available to the artist.