Description

The Baby’s Opera – A Book of Old Rhymes with New Dresses – Illustrated by Walter Crane

The Baby’s Opera – A Book of Old Rhymes with New Dresses was originally published in 1877. It contains the music for many English nursery songs, and is one of Crane’s best known ‘toy books’. The work is accompanied throughout by a series of dazzling colour illustrations – by Walter Crane himself.

Walter Crane (1845 – 1915), was an English artist and book illustrator. He is considered to be the most influential, and among the most prolific, children’s book creator of his generation. Alongside such names as Randolph Caldecott and Kate Greenaway, he was also one of the strongest contributors to the child’s nursery theme. Crane’s work is characteristically colourful and beautifully detailed, taking its inspiration from the Arts and Crafts movement (of which he was a member), as well as the iconic child-in-the-garden motif. The artwork and the text of Baby’s Opera: Old Rhymes and New Dresses are presented side-by-side, so that the two may be better appreciated.

 

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With works such as Baby’s Opera: Old Rhymes and New Dresses, Pook Press celebrates the great ‘Golden Age of Illustration‘ in children’s literature – a period of unparalleled excellence in book illustration from the 1880s to the 1930s.

Our collection showcases classic fairy tales, children’s stories, and the work of some of the most celebrated artists, illustrators and authors.

We publish rare and vintage Golden Age illustrated books, in high-quality colour editions, so that the masterful artwork and story-telling can continue to delight both young and old.

On this website, you can find out about some of our best-selling authors, illustrators, and stories. We also have a full bookshop, an introduction to the Golden Age of Illustration, and a history of the fairy tale itself.

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