In The Flowers Personified (Les Fleurs Animées, 1847), a garden blooms with far more than petals and leaves. This illustrated work combines the imaginative drawings of J. J. Grandville and the playful text of Taxile Delord. Flowers take on human form with personalities, moods, and moral inclinations. What begins as a charming floral fantasy unfolds into a subtle critique of 19th-century ideals around femininity, beauty, and social behaviour.

The late 19th and early 20th centuries witnessed a boom in illustration that transformed books, magazines, and print media into immersive visual experiences. This period between the 1880s - 1930s was known as The Golden Age of Illustration. This period saw the rise of masterful artists who revolutionised storytelling through their intricate and atmospheric artwork. Figures such as Gustave Doré, Edmund Dulac and Arthur Rackham elevated illustration to an art form, crafting iconic images that inspire artists, designers, and storytellers today. Read on to find out more!