The artist introduced a homey, intimate, childlike quality by creating hand-painted titles in cursive lettering for most selections, which complemented both ink drawings and brilliant gouache and ink paintings. Seemingly artless paintings float freely on the white space of the page, counterbalancing and occasionally drifting into the pattern of the text.
Although most of his designs for Mother Goose are quite lively, Duvoisin chose to begin in a quiet mood. His illustration for "One Misty, Moisty Morning" suggests the atmosphere of a rainy day to be spent with an agreeable book. The flat design, bird's-eye view, and careful text placement demonstrate the enduring influence of Japanese prints on book design and illustration.
Mother Goose: A Comprehensive Collection of the Rhymes.
Edited by William Rose Benét.
New York: The Heritage Press, 1936
Illustration for half title page: Mother Goose, "One Misty, Moisty Morning"
Gouache and ink on paper
13 x 9 5/8 inches
Gift of Louise Fatio Duvoisin
1986.1191.079
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