Bye Bye Bunting

Playful “Rabbit” – Happy Father

This illustration has a pronounced realistic and British Victorian look to it. The rabbit skin plopped on the baby seems to be more for fun dress up purposes than to keep him warm, and this particular Daddy doesn’t look like he’s ever hunted a day in his life. The full family is shown here in a classic interior Victorian setting: mother feeding the children early and the children rushing to meet Daddy as he comes home from the office. The fact that the Victorians had no qualms about hunting and skinning animals (This is also the era that embraced zoos and natural history museums and big game hunting assuming that animals are best when caged, stuffed or mounted on walls.) is seen in the practice of putting this rather grisly looking rabbit skin, floppy ears and all, on a baby. Notice how the father has discarded the symbols of his workaday world to play with the children. The warm rose and gold tones add warmth while the cooler blues and greens are reserved for the male characters. Does the art on the wall give you any clues about this family?