| Publisher: |
Little Queenie |
| Date: |
1896 |
| Medium: |
Original Chromolithograph |
| Publisher: |
Weekly Star, Montreal Canada |
| Publisher: |
Family Herald Publishing Co., Montreal Canada |
| Note: |
Hugh Graham (1848-1938), was one of the most powerful and
influential media executives in Canada during the late 19th century
and into the first quarter of the 20th century. He co-founded the Evening
Star (1869) later known as The Montreal Star and then founded two sister
Weekly papers known as the Weekly star and the Family Herald. Both newspapers
were based out of Montreal and the dates attributed to both of them is around
(1870's -1970's). This promotional supplement was a gift to lure new customers into buying into new
subscriptions. Little Queenie depicts a little girl dressed in her Sunday best, a beautiful pink dress and bonnet.
She is standing in front of a Victorian screen with a twinkle in her eyes, as if to say, "This is 'my'
gift to you" and holds out her basket full of beautiful roses. How could one resist? There is an advertisement in the April, 1896 Chilliwach
Progress newspaper that reads; "Our readers will be pleased to know that we have made special arrangements by which
the Progress and the Kaily Herald and Weekly Star together may be had for $2.25. The Family Herald is the greatest weekly
daily newspaper in the world, and has been wonderfully successful. So greatly has it grown that its
publishers have had to enlarge it to sixteen pages, and even now it is hard to get all the good things in, No family can
afford to do without the Family Harold, for not only does it amuse and instruct but it repays its subscribers price many
times over. ... This year every subscriber will be given as premium a lovely picture called "Little Queenie",
an artistic gem which every one will want, but which can be got only through the Family Herald. Every subscriber, at no
cost to himself, has his life insured for $500 against death by railway accidents. You can get the Family Herald with its
premium and free insurance, and the Progress for $2.25. This art offer is so generous that everybody should accept it.
Sample copies may be seen at the Progress office..." Little Queenie is surely a great example of late nineteenth
century Canadian marketing at its best. |
| |
The exacting art of colour printing from lithographic stones
(chromolithography) originated in Europe during the middle 1830's. The
Germans, in particular, excelled at this new medium, and printers and
publishers of that nationality moved to the eastern regions of North America
in considerable numbers during this time. The first American chromolithograph
was created around 1840. During the following seventy years thousands
of these original colour prints were framed to adorn the walls of American
and Canadian parlours, with images ranging from the fine arts to botanical
and fashion designs and advertising images. |
| |
These full colour prints revolutionized the art industry.
Large and profitable businesses sprang up in every major North American
city, and, by 1880, it had become the dominant form of printmaking. The
practical and much less expensive advances of photomechanical methods,
however, sounded the death knell for the chromolithograph in the early
years of the twentieth century. Yet (almost one hundred years later) not
even our most modern methods of reproducing images can equal the vibrant,
oil-based colours and tones of the original chromolithograph. |
| |
Today, chromolithographs have become quite scarce. The major
blame falls upon the ruinous methods of nineteenth and early twentieth
century framers as they invariably employed the most acidic and damaging
materials at hand. The result is that the overwhelming majority of these
historically important works of art have quite literally rotted away in
their frames. Thus surviving examples most often contain serious discolouration,
light staining, chipping, wood burning and creasing. |
| |
This impression of Little Queenie, however, escaped
such a fate. It was never framed nor handled, but was found in its original
packaging tube where it had resided for over one hundred years. Therefore
-- apart from the usual rippling, caused by the pressure of being rolled
-- Little Queenie is in remarkable condition. To find a chromolithograph
of this large size in such fine condition with such striking, original
colours is indeed very rare. |
| |
Canadian chromolithographs are also quite uncommon. In the
United States major publishing houses were abundant. In Canada, however,
apart from the Toronto Lithographic Company, no large printer and publisher
existed for long. As one can see by the printing along the bottom left
margin, Little Queenie was created as a promotional supplement
by two of Montreal's leading weekly sister journals of the day, the
Weekly Star and the Family Herald. The Canadian artists and printers
responsible for this beautiful work of art are not known but there is
a good possibility that the Toronto Lithographic Company was involved. |
| |
A Note on the Care and Conservation of Antique Works of
Art on Paper: It is still a little known fact that the fibers in
paper never stop moving and shifting. In the past ( and regrettably still
in the present) many framers flattened the paper by either rigidly taping
all its sides to the matte or -- worse still!-- pressing and gluing the
paper to a board. Such actions have caused and continue to cause immeasurable
damage to works of art on paper, affecting not only the piece's aesthetic
but its monetary value. Any matting materials coming in contact with the
work of art (either verso or recto) must be 100% archival to prevent deterioration.
As well the paper should only be hinged with acid-free tape along the
top margin to allow for continued, minuscule movements. Any work of art
on paper that has been flatted is worth only a fraction of one that one
that is still in its natural, preserved state. |
| Source: |
The Weekly Star, & the Family Herald, Montreal, Canada |
| Size: |
19 X 14 3/4 (Sizes in inches are approximate,
height preceding width of plate-mark or image.) |
| |
Framed and Matted with 100% Archival Materials |
| |
View larger Framed Image |
| |
 |
| Condition: |
Printed upon thick, nineteenth century wove paper and with
full margins as published in Montreal around 1890. Containing slight creasing
to the extreme, outer margins, else a spectacular full colour impression
and in excellent condition throughout. Little Queenie represents
a prime example of nineteenth century chromolithographic art. |
| Price: |
Sold - The price is no longer available. |
| Important Information: |
The artist biographies, research and or information pertaining to all the original works of art posted on our pages has been written and designed by Greg & Connie Peters exclusively for our site, (www.artoftheprint.com). Please visit us regularly to view the latest artworks offered for sale. We will soon be posting an update of our most recent research and include the biographical and historical information pertaining to our next collection of original works of art created by artists throughout the centuries. We hope you found the information you were looking for and that it has been beneficial.
Our Gallery, (Art of the Print / www.artoftheprint.com) guarantees the authenticity of every work of art we sell 100%. Full documentation and certification is provided. We offer a wide selection of international fine art dating from the early Renaissance to the contemporary art period. |
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