Introduction to the Golden Age of Illustration

What was the Golden Age of Illustration? When did it happen? And what were its main characteristics?

This is the first post in a series about the Golden Age of Illustration. That’s why it has an introductory tone, to give us some context and a better understanding of what this period in illustration was all about, so we can better enjoy the upcoming posts in the series.

Before diving into the topic, I’d like to take a brief detour to share how I discovered that there was a specific period in illustration history called the Golden Age of Illustration. If that’s not something you find interesting, feel free to skip the next two paragraphs.

That said, let’s go back to March 2025, when I was spending a week at my friends’ house in Latvia. They have two kids, which means lots of children’s books around. As I flipped through some of them, I was completely enchanted by the illustrations. They were rich in detail, and I couldn’t quite figure out how they were made — I just knew they were done using traditional techniques.

I was so fascinated by the artwork and curious about how it was created that I decided to do some research. That’s when I discovered they were made using tempera and watercolor. As I continued digging, I came across even older illustrators whose work was equally stunning, and eventually, I stumbled upon the term ✨Golden Age of Illustration✨.

Well, we know that in terms of art history, there are various periods: prehistoric, ancient, medieval, Renaissance, and so on. But in an unofficial sense, we also have the Golden Age of Illustration. It doesn’t exactly fit into the traditional history of art because it’s more related to illustration, book printing, and the rise of children's literature than to fine art itself.

That’s why we don’t typically study it unless we take a specialized course in children’s illustration, design, or book printing in general. By the way, if you’ve studied this period in a course before, feel free to share in the comments what course that was 🙂.

What was the Golden Age of Illustration?

Illustration of Kay Nielsen

The Golden Age of Illustration was a period that lasted from 1880 to 1930 — fifty years of history. It mostly unfolded in Europe and the United States, the two major illustration hubs of the time (at least in the Western world). This era emerged as a result of a combination of technological advancements, cultural shifts, and economic and social transformations — all directly or indirectly linked to the Industrial Revolution.

First, the Industrial Revolution brought about the rise of the bourgeoisie, a social class with enough disposable income to spend on children’s books. At the same time, literacy became a growing concern, and many families started valuing the idea of teaching their children to read and write.

Alongside this, improvements in printing techniques made it easier to reproduce illustrations and even allowed for color printing. As a result, all these factors together created a boom in the production of children’s books, which eventually became a recognized genre in its own right. This, in turn, created a specific market for illustrators and writers.

Another important point is that by 1880, the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen had already done the work of collecting and writing fairy tales. So there was already plenty of material ready for children’s books; it just needed to be adapted for young readers and illustrated.

And thus, the Golden Age of Illustration was born—a period of prolific creation of illustrated children’s books that lasted until 1930, when the rise of commercial photography and cinema began to replace illustration as the primary form of visual storytelling.

Here are some of the notable illustrators from the Golden Age of Illustration:
Howard Pyle, Arthur Rackham, Edmund Dulac, N.C. Wyeth, Jessie Willcox Smith, and Beatrix Potter.

And here are some of their notable works:

Beatrix Potter, Arthur Rackham, Howard Pyle, and Edmund Dulac

Key characteristics of the era

The children’s books we know today are rooted in the ones produced during the Golden Age of Illustration. It was during this time that illustrations began to hold equal—or even greater—importance than the text itself. They were rich in detail, set the mood of the scene, and added layers to the story that we might not imagine without seeing the artwork.

As such, illustration wasn’t just decoration, it was part of the storytelling. It appeared on single pages, double-page spreads, and chapter headers, and was often the highlight of the book cover.

All this contributed to the illustrator being recognized as a true creator with a unique style. Before that, illustrators were often seen as mere craftsmen or decorators. In fact, it became common for people to buy books because a particular illustrator had done the artwork, not just for the story itself.

On top of that, advances in printing technology made it possible to reproduce color illustrations. This allowed illustrators to use gouache, watercolor, or tempera, knowing that the color could actually be printed. Before that, only linework and shadows could be printed.

Of course, a fully colored illustrated book was more expensive to produce, but there was a market for it, making it something more exclusive. Later, with the development of the CMYK color model, color printing became more affordable—but that’s a story for the next newsletter edition.

Another characteristic of the Golden Age of Illustration is the subject matter. Since many children’s stories were based on fairy tales, legends, and mythology, the illustrations often featured anthropomorphic animals, magical creatures, and idyllic landscapes. But the stories weren’t limited to fantasy; some had moral or educational themes and featured scenes from everyday life with adults and children.

Why this period still inspires illustrators today?

Illustration by Taryn Knight

Like all eras, the Golden Age of Illustration came to an end around 1930, due to technological advancements, particularly the rise of photography and cinema, and also the financial crisis of 1929.

Also, new printing methods were developed—some of which are still used today. And more recently, with the advent of digital illustration, traditional illustration has become just one of many styles in the market.

Still, the beauty of illustrations from the Golden Age of Illustration remains timeless. Many artists today get inspiration from illustrators of this period, creating pieces with a traditional feel, rich in detail, and with harmonious compositions.

In fact, many of the characters we still remember today had their visual identities created during this time—Alice in Wonderland, Little Red Riding Hood, and Peter Pan, for example. Even in the early Disney films, the artists looked to illustrators from the Golden Age of Illustration for inspiration when designing the backgrounds.

Another reason illustrators are turning back to this era as a source of inspiration is the rise of digital illustration and, recently, AI. In a time when everything is digital and AI can generate digital illustrations, traditional work is becoming more valued. Illustrators who appreciate traditional techniques and the imperfect and unpredictable nature (depending on the media) of traditional art often look to artists like Arthur Rackham, Beatrix Potter, and Edmund Dulac as references.

Now I’d love to hear from you: Is this your first time hearing about the Golden Age of Illustration? What would you like to learn more about?

Spoiler alert: In the next edition, we’ll dive deeper into the origins of the Golden Age of Illustration and explore the different printing methods that made this period possible.