Kate Greenaway and Henry Dager

Kate Greenaway

Henry Darger

Henry Darger

Kate Greenaway

You have to love Kate Greenaway's illustrations depicting children in early 1800's fashion (she was in fact Victorian born in 1846 - a generation after the fashions she illustrates). Her use of colour and the charming empire waist dresses (check out the haircuts too) are just too lovely! One also cannot help notice some similarities in her work and that of Henry Darger (1892 - 1973) and his Vivian Girls though of course there was no way this reclusive outsider artist could have been influenced by her. Greenaway's work is by no means meant to be dark and she participates actively in the creation of a new Victorian invention: the concept of childhood, this being said there is something awkward and strange in her work.