Shining on high, up in the sky,
Like a bright airship the New Moon sails by.
“The New Moon”; Virginia Baker, G.A. Grant-Schaefer
“The Music Hour; First Book”
Illustrated by Shirley Kite, 1927
Please check out Plum leaves' modification in comments below (well worth scrolling for!)
And check out cottagelover1953's very colorful interpretation complete
with a red roof cottage:
flic.kr/p/9wiKdN
This is without question my most viewed illustration posted. Over 2000 (now 3700) views, and that is just what Flickr can keep up with. I have seen it as web site headers, and I have seen it set to new age music. Plumleaves has given it new texture and life, and cottagelover1953 has reinterpreted it with lots of color. Many people are just as drawn to this gentle, delicate, quiet image as I am.
I found my image in wetbehindtheears blog via my stats, and Shirley
Kite Smith's daughter-in-law had made this comment:
Bunny L. Smith (now Garst)
"This is the favorite of all of my mother-in-law's illustrations.
"Peter", (Peter Kite Smith) shown in many of her drawings
was her only child and my husband. He died in 1994.
I have drawings of hers that were never published."
So this was the favorite of Shirley Kite Smith herself!
eschongut, ncomment, Princess La, and 134 other people added this photo to their favorites.
View 5 more comments
katinthecupboard 38 months ago | reply
I agree lucyellen!
Plum leaves (on Vacation) 32 months ago | reply
Charming! Wonderful atmosphere! Seems like a slight oriental look to the landscape.
Many of these lovely old illustrations are printed on regular paper. It is a different look from other old books where the color illustrations are printed on separate sheets of glossy paper. I fooled around on Photoshop to see how the color might have been if it had been printed on more of a gloss paper... giving full credit to you of course! :
ElizabethEEllis 28 months ago | reply
This reminds me of a Chinese song relating to the mid autumn moon festival. In the song, there is a white rabbit playing around and a little white boat flying in a very blue night sky. I don't remember much more about it other than the words and the rabbit helping a beautiful woman.
katinthecupboard 28 months ago | reply
Thank you, Elizabeth! That is a lovely description. I will have to go back and see the whole poem. This was the period when Americans were fascinated by Oriental culture, so I can't help but wonder if the poem and/or the illustration was inspired by the song. Gotta look up the mid autumn festival, too! I appreciate you taking the time to tell us about it.
garlandcannon 27 months ago | reply
We are grateful for your care and prayers for the people of Japan is the aftermath of the tragedy of earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear difficulties. Admired in the Healing Thoughts for Japan thread of North Wind's Daughter.
www.flickr.com/groups/northwindsdaughter/discuss/72157626...
gailpiland 27 months ago | reply
This image really is poetic: so lovely, allusive, numinously gnomic.
I admired it in Poetry slang
garlandcannon 27 months ago | reply
Vintage category honoree in the Japan thread of North Wind's Daughter.
Please continue to use north wind's daughter as one of your flickr homes.
www.flickr.com/groups/northwindsdaughter/pool/with/548722...
artyfishal44 27 months ago | reply
This image really is intuitive, poetic, beautiful,
wild, imaginative, and powerful .
I admired it in:
North Wind's Daughter
♥DonnazMagicalPix♥ 27 months ago | reply
This image really is intuitive, poetic, beautiful,
wild, imaginative, and powerful .
I admired it in:
North Wind's Daughter
Plum leaves (on Vacation) 27 months ago | reply
There are currently 579 views on my modification -- add this to your stats :) Your lovely scan is quite a treasure and much admired!
katinthecupboard 26 months ago | reply
And here is the upgraded version Plum leaves has done:
Aum Kleem 26 months ago | reply
Awesome image in the Healing Thoughts for Japan thread. Congratulations on this imagery being selected as an honouree during this time.
This image really is intuitive, poetic, beautiful,
wild, imaginative, and powerful .
I admired it in:
North Wind's Daughter
katinthecupboard 26 months ago | reply
Thank you very much!
plaisanter~ 19 months ago | reply
Gorgeous!
I just saw Beth’s version and hopped over here to see the original.
Over 3, 000 views... wow!! It deserves it ❤
cottagelover1953 15 months ago | reply
I should like to sit by the bunny and we could have deep discussions about the meaning of life, love and moon phases. We could share a blanket and some carrots. :)
katinthecupboard 15 months ago | reply
Shirley might have felt the same way!
arts enthusiast 15 months ago | reply
I love all the mushrooms. :) Makes me think there are fairies hiding...
plaisanter~ 15 months ago | reply
This really is a marvellous illustration - I can see why it was Kite's favorite!
Plum leaves (on Vacation) 15 months ago | reply
As well as the 300+ views of the computer wallpaper we put our heads together over....
Your computer specifications (12x15) :) :
---
...and mine (1920x1080):
This is just the illustration that keeps touching people's lives :)
Plum leaves (on Vacation) 9 months ago | reply
I see someone else picked up this book too!
