Artwork
Plate XIII The Fairy Queen takes an Airy Drive in Light Carriage
Plate XIII The Fairy Queen takes an Airy Drive in Light Carriage is a print by the Impressionist artist Richard Doyle. It dates from 1870 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Plate XIII, 'The Fairy Queen takes an Airy Drive in Light Carriage', is a coloured print featuring a whimsical scene of a fairy queen in a delicate, airborne carriage.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a serene fairy queen controlling the reins of a carriage lifted and propelled by large butterflies, surrounded by smaller, softly colored butterflies, set against a distant, idyllic landscape of palm trees and hills, evoking a sense of magical serenity.
Technique & Style
Characterized by soft yellows, blues, and pinks, the print employs a dreamy, storybook-like quality, achieved through the use of coloured print techniques to convey lightness and fantasy.
Context
This work reflects a period fascination with whimsical, natural, and mythological themes, often found in illustrated literature of the time.
Legacy
Similar prints can be found in collections like the Victoria and Albert Museum, highlighting the piece's place within a broader tradition of fantastical and delicate printmaking.
Artist & collection
Artist
Richard "Dickie" Doyle (18 September 1824 – 10 December 1883) was a British illustrator of the Victorian era.
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