He studied taxidermy and that knowledge of how the bodies of animals are structured would appear to have made Charles Livingston Bull (1874 – 1932) and even better wildlife artist.
The pen and ink style drawing comes form a book of Aesop’s fables that was published in 1915 and illustrated by Bull. I found several different versions of the fable, some have the mother doing the talking and others have the fawn. Either way, it is a tale about logic and fear.
Personally, I think this lovely drawing shows a mother watching over her offspring and the connection between the two animals. I love the simple touch of the flowers among the grass the pair are standing in. The large and gnarled tree, apparently growing at the edge of a lake or other waterway adds a bit of contrast to the overall softness of the vignette.
You could probably customize the image by adding some color but I think it’s kinda nice with just black lines. Though maybe printing it onto colored paper would make it really pop.
This image is copyright free and in the public domain anywhere that extends copyrights 70 years after death or at least 120 years after publication when the original illustrator is unknown.
