Maria Louise Kirk: Illustrations to The Princess and Curdie

Maria Louise Kirk (1860 - 1930), born in Lancaster, near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was an American illustrator and artist. She was schooled at School of Design for Women and Academy of Fine Arts (both Philadelphia), she exhibited in Philadelphia, where she got an award in 1894  and in Chicago, and she will be remembered by her illustrations for children’s books.

 Frontispiece

HE THRUST BOTH HIS HANDS INTO THE HEAP OF FLAMINGO ROSES

SHE HAD ONCE SEEN A CERTAIN MYSTERIOUS LIGHT OF THE SAME DESCRIPTION

SHE SAT CRUMPLED TOGETHER, A FILMY THING THAT IT SEEMED A PUFF WOULD BLOW AWAY

CURDIE AND HIS FATHER BEHELD  A LADY, "BEAUTIFUL EXCEEDINGLY"

THEY BEGAN TO WEAVE A STRANGE DANCE ABUT HIM

SO HE SET HER ON LINA'S BACK, HOLDING HER HAND

SHE HELD OUT HER HAND

WITH A GREAT FAN OF PEACOCK FEATHERS SHE WOULD FAN HIM VERY SOFTLY

BY THE FADING FIRE SAT A GIRL WEEPING

ON A FOOTSTOOL, A YARD OFF SAT THE SPIDER GLARING AT HIM

FROM HER HAIR THE WATER FROM HER WEEPING DROPPED LIKE SUNSET RAIN IN THE LIGHT OF THE ROSES

THE MOMENT A PIGEON HAD RROUNDED HER HAND IT FLEW OFF STRAIGHT AS A BOLT FROM A BOW

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