COVE

The illustration for “The Luck of the Roses,” appears on page 24 of Laurence Housman’s House of Joy (1895). The illustrator, as well as the author was Laurence Housman. The wood engraved illustration is the first thing the reader is exposed to while interacting with the story. He was largely inspired by the Pre-Raphaelites, therefore proving to be very evident in his style of writing an illustrating. He worked to challenge the conventional way in which Victorians would often create art. The illustration depicts an idyllic garden scene that positions the wife and husband at the centre, lovingly gazing down at the rose fairy. They are surrounded by intricately illustrated rose bushes, as well as a small house sits in the back looking in on the scene. The image is in black and white, although the story contains a great amount of colour imagery. 

The couple treats the roses as their children, therefore introducing the theme of non-human things being treated as biological children. This is significant because this would have been a new concept within the 19th century. Fairy tales during this time worked to show an alternative world, therefore Housman chose to depict one in which humans live harmoniously with plants. Housman also tried to use his writing and illustrations to bring awareness to injustices and inequalities in the world. This is evident in his depiction of the couple, as they are very happy and loving towards each other, even though the reader knows they are going through difficult times. 

 Laurence Housman created House of Joy, in an effort to respond to Oscar Wilde’s A house of Pomegranates. Houseman aimed to maintain the same aesthetic that integrated beautiful imagery and social issues, as well as targeting a child audience. 

Primary Sources:

Digital Archive of “Luck of the Roses,” House of Joy (1895): https://archive.org/details/houseofjoy00housrich/page/24/mode/2up

 Kooistra, Lorraine Janzen. Oscar Wilde and Cultures of Childhood, "Wilde's Legacy: Laurence Housman, Fairy Tales, and 'Beautiful Untrue Things'" pp. 89-118.