25:
265:
367:
Barker always asked the child model to hold the flower, twig or blossom of a particular fairy, for she wanted to be sure of the accuracy of her depiction of the shape, texture and form of the plant. Her only alteration was to the size, she enlarged the flower to make it the same size as the child.
315:
In 1911, when she was 15 her father submitted some of her work to
Raphael Tuck, the stationery printer, who bought four of her pictures for greeting cards. From this time onwards, she was able to sell her work to magazines, to postcard and greeting card manufacturers, and later to book publishers.
311:
In 1908, when Cicely was 13, her father enrolled her at the
Croydon Art Society, where they both exhibited work. She also enrolled in a Correspondence Art course which she continued until 1918. At 16, Cicely was elected a life member of Croydon Art Society, the youngest person ever to receive this
363:
Barker always used real-life models for her paintings. Most of the models came from the kindergarten her sister
Dorothy ran in the back room of the house in which they lived. She also painted the children and relatives. One of her models was Gladys Tidy, the young girl who came to the house every
383:
So let me say quite plainly, that I have drawn all the plants and flowers very carefully, from real ones; and everything that I have said about them is as true as I could make it. But I have never seen a fairy; the fairies and all about them are just
400:
Canon Ingram Hill remembers her as "one of the pillars" of St. Andrew's Church, Croydon. Her faith informed all of her work, religious or secular, whether in cards, children's books or decorating the churches with which she was affiliated.
359:
did much to encourage the vogue for fairy paintings during the 1920s by frequently sending postcards depicting fairies to her friends. This popularity saw the publication of Cicely Mary Barker's Elves and
Fairies postcards in 1918.
408:, a picture of a young woman kneeling before an open window, possibly modelled on her sister. In 1923, she painted a series of five birthday cards featuring angels and babies for The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.
796:
411:
Starting in 1920, Barker painted many religious works, including illustrated Bible stories, written with her sister
Dorothy. She also painted panels and triptych for chapels and churches including
95:
308:
as a child and remained physically delicate for most of her life. She was unable to go to school, so she was educated at home and spent much of her time on her own, reading and drawing.
397:
and her own work echoes their philosophy of being true to nature both in her meticulous depiction of flowers and plants and in the way in which the fairies represent their spirit.
835:
393:
Barker's art reflects several strong influences. Her family was deeply religious and she retained a strong
Christian faith all her life. She greatly admired the work of the
353:
was well received by a post-industrial, war-weary public who were charmed by her vision of hope and innocence, which seemed to evoke a less aggressively modern world.
316:
This was very helpful to the family finances for her father died when she was 17, leaving Cicely, her elder sister and her mother in difficult circumstances.
793:
312:
honour. The art critic for the
Croydon advertiser commented: "Her drawings show a remarkable freedom of spirit. She has distinct promise."
46:
280:, in the shape of ethereal smiling children with butterfly wings. As a child, she was greatly influenced by the works of the illustrator
284:, whom she assiduously copied in her formative years. Her principal influence, however, which she duly credited, was the artwork of the
68:
830:
784:
707:
371:
Her flowers are always botanically accurate. If she could not find a flower close at hand, she enlisted the help of staff at
825:
840:
39:
33:
323:
accepted them for publication in 1923. She was paid only ÂŁ25 for a total of twenty-four illustrations and verses in
285:
50:
197:
319:
Cicely was industrious and determined. She sent her flower fairy paintings to several publishers before
820:
815:
336:
264:
327:, the first of the Flower Fairy series. Seven more little books about Fairies were to follow.
138:
335:
Cicely was also influenced by the huge popular interest in fairies which developed from the
800:
788:
320:
394:
281:
277:
375:, who would often visit with specimens for her to paint. She wrote in the foreword to
809:
781:
713:
676:
356:
340:
372:
155:
581:; London, Blackie, 1946, published as Fairy Necklaces, Frederick Warne, 1991.
339:
enthusiasm for fairy stories and was epitomised by the immense popularity of
276:(28 June 1895 – 16 February 1973) was the illustrator who created the famous
345:
94:
305:
142:
237:
and other
Christian-themed works in various British churches and chapels
416:
301:
297:
115:
424:
159:
119:
776:
18:
404:
In 1916, Barker designed eight mission postcards, including
349:
in the early part of the 20th century. Published in 1923,
750:
The
Dictionary of 20th Century British Book Illustrators
257:
249:
241:
215:
205:
192:
184:
176:
166:
150:
127:
104:
85:
211:Triptychs and other works for the Anglican church
635:; London, Blackie, 1988, Frederick Warne, 1990.
629:; London, Blackie, 1985, Frederick Warne, 1990.
587:; London, Blackie, 1948, Frederick Warne, 1990.
575:; London, Blackie, 1944, Frederick Warne, 1990.
556:; London, Blackie, 1940, Frederick Warne, 1990.
550:; London, Blackie, 1938, Frederick Warne, 1990.
464:; London, Blackie, 1926; Frederick Warne, 1990.
451:; London, Blackie, 1925; Frederick Warne, 1985.
439:; London, Blackie, 1923, Frederick Warne, 1990.
381:
743:The Golden Age of Children’s Book Illustration
245:Walter Barker and Mary Eleanor (Oswald) Barker
8:
836:Artists from the London Borough of Croydon
764:Book Illustrators of the Twentieth Century
752:; Suffolk, Antique Collector's Club, 1994.
738:, volume 49; Detroit, Gale Research, 1987.
93:
82:
201:Commissions from various British dioceses
69:Learn how and when to remove this message
782:Biography with examples of Barker's work
762:Peppin, Brigid, and Micklethwait, Lucy,
32:This article includes a list of general
668:
591:Flower Fairies of the Flowers and Trees
296:Cicely Mary Barker was born in 1895 in
7:
209:Illustrations of fairies and flowers
542:A Little Book of Rhymes New and Old
456:Child Thoughts in Picture and Verse
364:Saturday to do the household work.
224:(1923) and other Flower Fairy books
645:A Little Book of Prayers and Hymns
154:Ashes spread in the churchyard at
38:it lacks sufficient corresponding
14:
560:When Spring Came in at the Window
759:; London, Frederick Warne, 1995.
653:; London, Frederick Warne, 1997.
647:; London, Frederick Warne, 1994.
413:The Feeding of the Five Thousand
263:
227:The Feeding of the Five Thousand
222:The Flower Fairies of the Spring
23:
777:Flower Fairies official website
423:for the chapel of St. George's
421:The Parable of the Great Supper
231:The Parable of the Great Supper
196:Various publishers but chiefly
757:Cicely Mary Barker and Her Art
474:The Book of the Flower Fairies
253:Dorothy Oswald Barker (sister)
1:
639:Flower Fairies of the Seasons
621:The Sand, the Sea and the Sun
603:The Flower Fairy Picture Book
585:Flower Fairies of the Wayside
377:Flower Fairies of the Wayside
627:Flower Fairies of the Winter
573:Flower Fairies of the Garden
548:The Lord of the Rushie River
511:The Little Picture Hymn Book
492:The Children’s Book of Hymns
462:Flower Fairies of the Autumn
449:Flower Fairies of the Summer
437:Flower Fairies of the Spring
351:Flower Fairies of the Spring
325:Flower Fairies of the Spring
554:Flower Fairies of the Trees
529:A Little Book of Old Rhymes
180:Author, illustrator, artist
857:
745:; New York, Gallery, 1991.
736:Something About the Author
706:Ortakales, Denise (2002),
567:A Child’s Garden of Verses
286:Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood
170:Correspondence art courses
734:Commire, Anne, (editor),
651:A Flower Fairies Treasury
565:Stevenson, Robert Louis,
262:
92:
641:; Bedrick/Blackie, 1988.
605:; London, Blackie, 1955.
593:; London, Blackie, 1950.
569:; London, Blackie, 1944.
562:; London, Blackie, 1942.
544:; London, Blackie, 1937.
538:; London, Blackie, 1936.
531:; London, Blackie, 1936.
525:; London, Blackie, 1934.
519:; London, Blackie, 1933.
513:; London, Blackie, 1933.
505:Beautiful Bible Pictures
501:; London, Blackie, 1929.
499:Our Darling’s First Book
494:; London, Blackie, 1929.
488:; London, Blackie, 1928.
486:Old Rhymes for All Times
482:; London, Blackie, 1927.
476:; London, Blackie, 1927.
470:; London, Blackie, 1926.
458:; London, Blackie, 1925.
445:; London, Blackie, 1923.
235:Out of Great Tribulation
831:British fantasy artists
766:; New York, Arco, 1984.
579:Groundsel and Necklaces
523:A Flower Fairy Alphabet
480:Autumn Songs with Music
468:Summer Songs with Music
443:Spring Songs with Music
198:Blackie and Son Limited
53:more precise citations.
386:
799:10 March 2006 at the
172:Croydon School of Art
826:British illustrators
794:Croydon Council site
787:29 June 2010 at the
304:. She suffered from
841:People from Croydon
99:Barker in her teens
709:Cicely Mary Barker
677:"About the author"
617:; Macmillan, 1961.
611:; Macmillan, 1957.
599:; Macmillan, 1954.
517:Rhymes New and Old
415:for the chapel at
274:Cicely Mary Barker
109:Cicely Mary Barker
87:Cicely Mary Barker
534:Barker, Dorothy,
497:Barker, Dorothy,
454:Westcott, M. K.,
271:
270:
185:Years active
139:Worthing Hospital
79:
78:
71:
848:
741:Dalby, Richard,
724:
723:
721:
712:, archived from
693:
692:
690:
688:
673:
267:
218:
134:
131:16 February 1973
97:
83:
74:
67:
63:
60:
54:
49:this article by
40:inline citations
27:
26:
19:
856:
855:
851:
850:
849:
847:
846:
845:
806:
805:
801:Wayback Machine
789:Wayback Machine
773:
731:
729:Further reading
719:
717:
716:on 29 June 2010
705:
697:
696:
686:
684:
675:
674:
670:
660:
623:; Gibson, 1970.
433:
395:Pre-Raphaelites
391:
333:
294:
233:
229:
225:
216:
210:
200:
171:
146:
136:
132:
123:
113:
111:
110:
100:
88:
75:
64:
58:
55:
45:Please help to
44:
28:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
854:
852:
844:
843:
838:
833:
828:
823:
818:
808:
807:
804:
803:
791:
779:
772:
771:External links
769:
768:
767:
760:
753:
746:
739:
730:
727:
726:
725:
702:
701:
695:
694:
681:Flower Fairies
667:
666:
665:
664:
659:
656:
655:
654:
648:
642:
636:
633:Simon the Swan
630:
624:
618:
612:
609:Lively Numbers
606:
600:
597:Lively Stories
594:
588:
582:
576:
570:
563:
557:
551:
545:
539:
532:
526:
520:
514:
508:
502:
495:
489:
483:
477:
471:
465:
459:
452:
446:
440:
432:
429:
390:
387:
332:
329:
293:
290:
282:Kate Greenaway
278:Flower Fairies
269:
268:
260:
259:
255:
254:
251:
247:
246:
243:
239:
238:
219:
213:
212:
207:
206:Known for
203:
202:
194:
190:
189:
186:
182:
181:
178:
174:
173:
168:
164:
163:
152:
148:
147:
137:
135:(aged 77)
129:
125:
124:
114:
108:
106:
102:
101:
98:
90:
89:
86:
77:
76:
31:
29:
22:
16:British artist
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
853:
842:
839:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
822:
819:
817:
814:
813:
811:
802:
798:
795:
792:
790:
786:
783:
780:
778:
775:
774:
770:
765:
761:
758:
755:Laing, Jane,
754:
751:
748:Horne, Alan,
747:
744:
740:
737:
733:
732:
728:
715:
711:
710:
704:
703:
699:
698:
682:
678:
672:
669:
662:
661:
657:
652:
649:
646:
643:
640:
637:
634:
631:
628:
625:
622:
619:
616:
613:
610:
607:
604:
601:
598:
595:
592:
589:
586:
583:
580:
577:
574:
571:
568:
564:
561:
558:
555:
552:
549:
546:
543:
540:
537:
536:He Leadeth Me
533:
530:
527:
524:
521:
518:
515:
512:
509:
506:
503:
500:
496:
493:
490:
487:
484:
481:
478:
475:
472:
469:
466:
463:
460:
457:
453:
450:
447:
444:
441:
438:
435:
434:
430:
428:
426:
422:
418:
414:
409:
407:
402:
398:
396:
389:Christian art
388:
385:
380:
378:
374:
369:
365:
361:
358:
354:
352:
348:
347:
342:
338:
330:
328:
326:
322:
317:
313:
309:
307:
303:
299:
291:
289:
287:
283:
279:
275:
266:
261:
256:
252:
248:
244:
240:
236:
232:
228:
223:
220:
214:
208:
204:
199:
195:
191:
187:
183:
179:
177:Occupation(s)
175:
169:
165:
161:
157:
153:
151:Resting place
149:
144:
140:
130:
126:
121:
117:
107:
103:
96:
91:
84:
81:
73:
70:
62:
52:
48:
42:
41:
35:
30:
21:
20:
763:
756:
749:
742:
735:
718:, retrieved
714:the original
708:
685:. Retrieved
680:
671:
650:
644:
638:
632:
626:
620:
615:Lively Words
614:
608:
602:
596:
590:
584:
578:
572:
566:
559:
553:
547:
541:
535:
528:
522:
516:
510:
504:
498:
491:
485:
479:
473:
467:
461:
455:
448:
442:
436:
431:Bibliography
420:
412:
410:
405:
403:
399:
392:
382:
376:
370:
366:
362:
355:
350:
344:
341:J. M. Barrie
334:
324:
318:
314:
310:
295:
273:
272:
234:
230:
226:
221:
217:Notable work
133:(1973-02-16)
112:28 June 1895
80:
65:
56:
37:
821:1973 deaths
816:1895 births
700:Works cited
373:Kew Gardens
193:Employer(s)
156:Storrington
51:introducing
810:Categories
658:References
384:"pretend".
357:Queen Mary
292:Early life
59:March 2023
34:references
663:Footnotes
346:Peter Pan
337:Victorian
331:Fairy art
258:Signature
250:Relatives
242:Parent(s)
188:1911–1962
167:Education
162:, England
145:, England
122:, England
797:Archived
785:Archived
687:11 April
306:epilepsy
143:Worthing
720:30 June
507:; 1932.
417:Penarth
321:Blackie
302:England
298:Croydon
116:Croydon
47:improve
683:. 2024
425:Waddon
406:Prayer
160:Sussex
120:Surrey
36:, but
722:2010
689:2024
419:and
128:Died
105:Born
343:'s
812::
679:.
427:.
379::
300:,
288:.
158:,
141:,
118:,
691:.
72:)
66:(
61:)
57:(
43:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
