Jessie Willcox Smith

Considered ‘one of the greatest pure illustrators’, Jessie Willcox Smith (1863–1935) was celebrated for her captivating depictions of children and fairy tales. Born in 1863 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Smith initially pursued a career in teaching but later found her true calling in the arts. She studied at the School of Design for Women, now Moore College of Art & Design, and later at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

Her career took off after she joined the prestigious advertising firm of Ladies’ Home Journal, where she developed her unique artistic voice. She further honed her skills under the tutelage of Howard Pyle, a renowned illustrator and mentor of American painter and illustrator N.C. Wyeth, who greatly influenced her technique and storytelling approach.

Jessie Willcox Smith illustrations evoke great tenderness and nostalgic portrayal of childhood. Her works are imbued with warmth, capturing the innocence and wonder of children. Smith's ability to evoke emotion through her work made her a sought-after illustrator for books and magazine, including Century, Collier’s, Leslie’s Weekly, Harper’s, McClure’s and Scribner.

One of her most enduring contributions was her work for Good Housekeeping, where she created iconic covers from 1917 to 1933. These illustrations showcased her talent for capturing the essence of familial love and domestic life, making her a beloved figure in American households.

Smith’s illustrations for classic literature further cemented her legacy. She brought to life the characters of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women and An Old-Fashioned Girl, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s Evangeline and Robert Lousi Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses.

Smith worked in various mediums, including oil, watercolour and charcoal. Her meticulous attention to detail and her ability to convey narrative through imagery made her illustrations not just pictures but stories in themselves.

Smith had enjoyed much success throughout her long and prolific career, being one of the highest paid illustrator of the time, often compared with contemporaries such as Norman Rockwell and J.C. Leyendecker. She died in 1935 at the age of 71 and her contributions and talents continue to be recognised beyond her time. In 1936 the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts held a memorial retrospective exhibition of her works. In 1991 Smith become the third woman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Society of Illustrators — Lorraine Fox being the first and Neysa Moran McMein the second.