More than one hundred years have passed since the death of British artist Catherine (Kate) Greenaway but the legacy of her artistry is still enjoyed today.
Catherine Greenaway was born in Hoxton in North London on 17 March 1846 to Elizabeth and John Greenaway. Her mother was an accomplished seamstress and her father a draftsman and master engraver whose work appeared regularly in Punch and The Illustrated London News.
Although the family was always short of money Kate had a happy, carefree childhood. Her father supported an extended family including his elderly mother and two unmarried sisters as well as his own growing family. When things were really tough Elizabeth opened a successful fancy goods shop making clothing for well-to-do clients. Kate was left to explore her surroundings, living in a daydream in a very confused world. Her reluctance to grow up is reflected throughout her career. Kate once said, “I hated to be grown-up, and cried when I had my first long dress.”
Kate’s formal education consisted of a selection of local women that acted as home tutors and a short spell at the local infant school where she learned her “letters”. Her artistic education began at the age of twelve when she persuaded her mother to send her to the Finsbury School of Art before progressing to the Central School at eighteen and thence to the Slade School.
Throughout her life Kate was shy, introverted, and unassuming suffering bouts of severe depression. On page 163 of his book entitled Kate Greenaway (Academy Editions London, 1976) R. K. Engen cites this poem which clearly shows her state of mind:
A lonely soul, I am ever alone,
If love ever comes it is quickly gone –
Nothing abides and nothing stays.
I think I have found it, but only to know
How very soon it is all to go.
The sunshine is followed by falling snow.
Kate’s first printed piece was the frontispiece for a book entitled “Infant Amusements” In 1868 she began designing cards for greeting card manufacturer Marcus Ward. Her designs featured flowers, fruits and fairies but Kate is best remembered for her rosy-cheeked children in idyllic surroundings. The children were usually dressed in Regency-style costumes, not always based on fact. Kate’s illustrations reflected the cozy childhood world that she was so reluctant to leave. Her photographic memory stood her in good stead and many of her mother’s early design featured in her illustrations. The 'Greenaway dress' became a firm favourite with Victorian children and 'Greenaway' was soon to become a household word.
Kate was an amazing woman. Very few Victorian women enjoyed such successful careers. One of her early designs was a Valentine greeting card that sold more than 20,000 copies in the first few weeks. Kate received £3 for this design. It might seem like a very small payment but she was pleased that her work was being recognized. She eventually left Marcus Ward due to an argument about who owned her original drawings.
In 1876 Kate was introduced to Edmund Evans. Evans had recognized Kate’s talent and her style was eminently suitable for his wood-block printing process. This business partnership was extremely successful and by 1877 Kate’s earnings had already exceeded £200 and her reputation continued to grow rapidly with the production of a long line of beautifully illustrated books for children.
If you would like to read more about the life of Kate Greenaway The Kate Greenaway Book by B. Holme (Warne, F., Viking Penguin, Inc., 1976) would be a good place to start. Alternatively, Kate Greenaway by R. K. Engen (London: Academy Editions, 1976) is another good reference book.
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