I have been working on updating the images here on Reusable Art since the site upgrade a few weeks ago. I have added a special vintage image categories section where I showcase groups of illustrations on topics not otherwise covered or by a particular artist. One of the artists showcased in that section is Ida Waugh. Ida Waugh provided illustrations for a number of children’s books, many written by herself or her life-long companion Amy Blanchard (1856-1926). The illustration I am sharing with you today came from one of Blanchard’s books.
Tell Me a Story was published around 1888. It is full of charming images of children, flowers and animals. Girl feeding chickens is the first, in what I plan on being many, illustrations I have posted on Reusable Art.
In this drawing, we have a young girl holding a bowl up high out of reach of the chickens. She appears to be heading for the barnyard but the savvy birds must know she holds their breakfast in her hands. The building and fence are done in pale tones to put all of the focus on the girl and the birds gathered at her feet. Waugh included so many extra little details that this is one of those drawings that you see different things each time you look at it…the little girl’s long braid, the chicken appearing to stomp its foot in impatience, the little buttons on her shoes.
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.