Fig. 5. Ralston, John. “He felt something queer and hard fixing itself to the bridge of his nose.” Internet Archive, 1900, p. 109. https://archive.org/details/littlelameprincecraik/page/109/mode/1up.
This book does not list an illustrator of Craik’s The Little Lame Prince and His Traveling Cloak in the book itself but after some research the illustrator is John McLaren Ralston. The illustration shown on the website is from page ninety-seven of Craik’s text and is the exact same one, thus leading to the conclusion that Ralston is the illustrator. Ralston was a well-known engraver of the time and created engraved illustrations for Craik’s book. The illustration is in black and white but instead of full sections of colour Ralston used the technique of engraving. Ralston used wood engraving which is when “ink meets paper though a surface stamping method” (Raia). For much of the background including the grass and most of the clouds the Ralston used horizontal lines which can create “depth and three-dimensionality in a two dimensional (flat) visual composition” (Du Plessis). That is apparent in this illustration as the horizontal lines that make up the clouds seem to be moving even though they are on a flat surface. Ralston also used vertical lines for the tower, and the top portion of the cloak which suggest “qualities like strength, power, and spirituality” (Du Plessis). The use of vertical lines gives strength to both the tower and the cloak as the tower has a strong hold on Prince Dolor as he is not supposed to leave it. But in another sense the cloak gives him enough strength to leave it, and it seems to hold a sense of spirituality as it was given to him by his godmother.
The image of Prince Dolor here does not out wordily show his disability when it comes to him not being able to use his legs even though the reader can infer this from the text. Without showing his legs Ralston seems to show that in this moment when Prince Dolor is on his cloak his disability does not hinder him as he is able to move around. Instead, it shows that Prince Dolor is capable of getting around on his own through the aid of his new cloak. In this image Prince Dolor is also looking at the reader, which suggests that he wants the reader to interact with him through his journey not only on the cloak but throughout the whole book.
Works Cited
Du Plessis, Alicia. “Line in Art – Discover the Different Types of Line Art.” Art in Context, https://artincontext/org/line-in-art/. Accessed 31 March 2025.
“John McLaren Ralston’s illustrations from the Household Edition of A Child’s History of England [1878]). The Victorian Web, https://victorianweb.org/art///illustration/ralstonjmcl/index.html. Accessed 02 April 2025.
“John McLaren Ralston illustrations of Oliver Cromwell and Ireton at The Blue Boar.” The Victorian Web, https://victorianweb.org/art///illustration/ralstonjmcl/13.html. Accessed 02 April 2025.
Raia, Pamela. “The Illustrative Processes: Engraving.” Bauman Rare Books, https://www.baumanrarebooks.com/blog/the-illustrative-processes-engravin.... Accessed 02 April 2025.
“19th Century-Disability.” Cultures & Contexts, https://www.nineteenthcenturydisability.org/items/show/14. Accessed 02 April 2025.