Frontispiece
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Frontispiece ~ The Old Man of the Sea He in turn, leaning over the rock stared back into Martin's face with his immense fishy eyes. |
Twelve full page color and black and white plates, and eighteen chapter headings tell the transformation of Martin, a little boy lost, as illustrated by Dorothy Lathrop, from a vulnerable little boy to a child at home in the wild, and one with the sea.
As you scroll through the images, you will experience Martin's encounters with various individuals, creatures and beings. I am impressed by Lathrop's skill and versatility, her chapter headings and illustrations ranging from bold graphic design to delicate color washes and bright paintings, always expressing Martin's curious and open personality.
Dorothy Lathrop (1891-1980), a renowned illustrator, co-winner of the Newbery Medal in 1930, and the first winner of the Randolph Caldecott Medal in 1938, was the daughter of an artist and the sister of a sculptor. Her maiden name was Pulis, and she often signed her work and was credited as Dorothy P. Lathrop.
She graduated from Columbia University where she first studied to be a teacher but also studied drawing. She furthered her studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and the Arts Students League in New York, and began to illustrate in 1918. She was a member of the National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors. She is widely quoted as saying: "Talk of art and artists was part of my daily life from early childhood."
The most interesting illustrations for A Little Boy Lost begin with Chapter IV, and continue through Chapter XVIII, as Martin moves further away from the "real" world into the world of fantasy and the imagination.
My personal favorites, including The Wonder of the Hills, and The Old Man of the Sea, begin with Chapter XIII, once Martin has gained his "leopard spots." I also enjoy The People of the Mirage, Alone in the Great Forest, A Troop of Wild Horses, The Lady of the Hills, and The People of the Mist. (Okay, beginning with Chapter IV, just about everything is my favorite!)
The amount of characterization and detail in the chapter headings alone, can be an inspiration to modern illustrators. The full page illustrations are a complement to the headings and the melodic tone of William Henry Hudson's text.
This edition of A Little Boy Lost was first published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1920. I've copied the illustrations at their highest resolution from their original source. If you click on the link, you can read the story and see the illustrations in their original context, including surprise illustrations at the end of most chapters, further extending the text.
Click on each image for great detail.
Title Page
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Title Page ~ 1936 Edition |
Chapters I to III
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Heading ~ Chapter I ~ The Home on the Great Plain |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Heading ~ Chapter II ~ The Spoonbill and the Cloud |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Chapter II ~ The Spoonbill and the Cloud "Oh, poor bird," he cried suddenly, "open your wings and fly away!" |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Heading ~ Chapter III ~ Chasing a Flying Figure |
Chapters IV to XII
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Heading ~ Chapter IV~ Martin Is Found by a Deaf Old Man |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Chapter IV ~ Martin Is Found by a Deaf Old Man Groping his way to the bucket of cold water-- he managed to raise it up in his arms, and poured it over the sleeper. |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Heading ~ Chapter V ~ The People of the Mirage |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Chapter V ~ The People of the Mirage "The Queen wishes to speak to you-- stand up, little boy." |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Heading ~ Chapter VI ~ Martin Meets with Savages |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Heading ~ Chapter VII ~ Alone in the Great Forest |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Chapter VII ~ Alone in the Great Forest How strange it seemed when, holding on to a twig, he bent over and saw himself reflected in that black mirror. |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Heading ~ Chapter VIII ~ The Flower and the Serpent |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Chapter VIII ~ The Flower and the Serpent He quickly ate it, and then pulled another and ate that, and then another, and still others, until he could eat no more. |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Heading ~ Chapter IX ~ The Black People of the Sky |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Heading ~ Chapter X ~ A Troop of Wild Horses |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Chapter X ~ A Troop of Wild Horses Then the wild man, catching Martin up, leaped upon the back of one of the horses. |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Heading ~ Chapter XI ~ The Lady of the Hills |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Chapter XI ~ The Lady of the Hills She raised him in her arms and pressed him to her bosom, wrapping her hair like a warm mantle around him. |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Heading ~ Chapter XII ~ The Little People Underground |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Chapter XII ~ The Little People Underground For a moment or two he was tempted to turn and run back into the passage through which he had come. |
Chapter XIII to XVIII
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Heading ~ Chapter XIII ~ The Great Blue Water |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Heading ~ Chapter XIV ~ The Wonder of the Hills |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Chapter XIV ~ The Wonder of the Hills The doe-- timidly smelt at his hand, then licked it with her long pink tongue. |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Heading ~ Chapter XV ~ Martin's Eyes are Opened |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Chapter XV ~ Martin's Eyes are Opened Throwing up her arms she uttered a long call, and the birds began to come lower and lower down. |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Heading ~ Chapter XVI ~ The People of the Mist |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Heading ~ Chapter XVI ~ The People of the Mist One of the mist people-- held the shell to Martin's ear,-- and Martin knew-- that it was the voice of the sea. |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Heading ~ Chapter XVII ~ The Old Man of the Sea |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Chapter XVII ~ The Old Man of the Sea He in turn, leaning over the rock stared back into Martin's face with his immense fishy eyes. |
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Dorothy Lathrop A Little Boy Lost by W. H. Hudson Alfred A. Knopf ~ c 1920 Chapter XVIII ~ Martin Plays with the Waves |
What are your favorite Dorothy Lathrop books and Illustrations?
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Ah, the People of the Mirage — "The Queen wishes to speak to you..." Stuff of my dreams. I love the chapter V color illustration, but of course they're all really nice.
ReplyDeleteLike most Golden Age illustrators, the color illustrations are like gems. And I truly have to admit my weakness and love for fantasy illustrations over everyday scenarios, so yes, from Chapter IV on, I'm hooked. I think I still like Lathrop's Down-Adown Derry best, but it's a close call with this one, I think it's just because Down-Adown Derry is pure fantasy. I know I would love best a 'Best of Dorothy Lathrop' anthology collecting the gems from all her books, including 'Fairy Circus', 'Mopsa The Fairy' and 'Treasure of Carcassonne'.
Nicely presented — thanks Annie!
Hi Thom,
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed them. I love her illustrations for Fairy Circus, Mopsa the Fairy, and Down-Adown-Derry, but there's something about these illustrations that puts them among my favorites. My favorite black-and-white full page illustration is for Chapter XIV, the Wonder of the Hills with Martin and the doe. My favorite color illustration is from Chapter XVII, The Old Man of the Sea, partly because I used to own a copy of it, and I first encountered it in David Larkin's Fantastic Kingdom. I've never seen Treasure of Carcassone, so now I'll be looking for it!
This is gorgeous, and a story I was unfamiliar with. Thank you for sharing this beautiful book!
ReplyDeleteHi houndgirrl,
DeleteThank you! I'm finding the stories that go with these early illustrations from the 1910s to the 1920s are not all traditional tales, but often original, and the art is even more surprising because of the complexity and unfamiliarity.
Just amazing! No words to describe what I feel...
ReplyDeleteI have nothing to say other that I am so awe struck that the wetness in my eyes almost stop me from seeing the keys I am pushing to writ this. I love all the illustrations you have shown us. I have love art of all types since I begun to read when I was 3 years old in Spain in 1946 and loved art so much that I have tried to do some of my own but it is so poor I would be ashamed to show it to others than my friends. It is incredible how many fantastic illustrators there are and there have been. I do especially fancy the end of the 19th and from the beginning to the mid 20th Century and although I have come across some of them, you have introduced me to many that I knew not of. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAntonio Navarro Jr
I read this book as a child in the early 50s in England. I loved the illustrations, and the story has haunted me ever since I first encountered it. This is the first time I’ve seen these beautiful plates since I was about 8. Thank you so much for making it available on-line.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! You can read the whole book, seeing the illustrations in their original context, at the Internet Archive: http://www.archive.org/stream/littleboylost00huds#page/n9/mode/2up
DeleteWhen I was in college I had a print of the frontispiece, one of my favorite illustrations, hanging in my dorm rooms, and later in my room in a house I shared. It's great you read the book as a child.