In Powder and Crinoline

In Powder and Crinoline is a collection of fairy tales illustrated by Danish artist Kay Nielsen and retold by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch in 1913. The book contains seven stories derived from French and German folklore traditions, presented with Nielsen's signature art nouveau style illustrations. The tales feature princes, princesses, magical transformations, and quests for love - classic elements of European fairy tales reimagined through Nielsen's interpretation. Each story is accompanied by Nielsen's full-color plates and black-and-white drawings that capture key moments and characters. The title refers to the 18th century French court aesthetic that influences both the stories' settings and Nielsen's artistic style. The illustrations blend art nouveau curves and patterns with rococo fashion and architecture. The collection explores themes of transformation, true love, and the tension between appearance and reality in fairy tale traditions. Nielsen's artwork and Quiller-Couch's retellings create a bridge between old folk traditions and early 20th century artistic sensibilities.

Readers highlight Kay Nielsen's stunning Art Nouveau illustrations as the main draw of In Powder and Crinoline. The artwork's intricate details, color palettes, and dreamlike quality receive mention in numerous reviews. Likes: - Delicate line work and decorative borders - Mix of full-color plates and black/white drawings - Stories complement the artistic style - Print quality showcases illustration details Dislikes: - Some find the fairy tales less engaging than the art - Text appears small and dense in certain editions - High price point for used copies - Limited availability of original editions Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (83 ratings) LibraryThing: 4.3/5 (12 ratings) Select Review Quotes: "The marriage of Nielsen's ethereal art with these lesser-known fairy tales creates pure magic" - Goodreads reviewer "Worth seeking out for the illustrations alone" - LibraryThing review "Beautiful book but stories drag in places" - Used book seller review

East of the Sun and West of the Moon by Kay Nielsen This collection pairs Nielsen's art with Norse folk tales in the same style as Powder and Crinoline's fairy tale illustrations.

The Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen by Noel Daniel This compilation presents fairy tales with vintage illustrations from the same time period as Nielsen's work.

Folk Tales of Bengal by Warwick Goble Goble's watercolor illustrations complement Indian folk tales with the same ethereal style found in Nielsen's fairy tale art.

The Arabian Nights by Edmund Dulac Dulac's ornate illustrations of these Middle Eastern tales mirror Nielsen's attention to detail and use of decorative patterns.

The Snow Queen and Other Tales by Arthur Rackham Rackham's pen and ink drawings bring fairy tales to life with the same Golden Age illustration techniques used in Nielsen's work.

🎨 Kay Nielsen's ethereal Art Nouveau illustrations in "In Powder and Crinoline" were created using a unique four-color process that was revolutionary for its time in 1913. 👑 The book is a collection of fairy tales curated by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, featuring lesser-known stories from French and German folklore rather than familiar classics. ✨ Nielsen completed the artwork for this book while living in Copenhagen, drawing inspiration from Persian miniatures and Japanese woodblock prints to create his distinctive style. 📖 Only 500 copies of the original edition were printed, with each containing 24 tipped-in color plates protected by tissue paper guards, making it one of the most sought-after art books of the Golden Age of Illustration. 🎭 The book's title refers to the fashion and customs of pre-Revolutionary France, with "powder" alluding to the powdered wigs and "crinoline" to the structured petticoats worn by aristocratic women of the period.