The Sleeping Beauty - An Art Nouveau Postcard Illustrated by Sophia May Bowley (circa 1906)

            This pretty Art Nouveau postcard of the prince approaching the Sleeping Beauty was created by accomplished British illustrator Sophia May Bowley.  Published by Valentine and Sons around 1906, it is one of four from a Fairy Tale series.  

The Sleeping Beauty, her prince and her lady-in-waiting in the foreground are all portrayed formally in a tableau and are painted in a very naturalistic style.  This painting shows a beautiful palate and is ornate and rich in its design.

Sophia May Bowley (1864 - 1960) was one of two sisters in her family who became successful paintresses for publishers Raphael Tuck and Sons.  Her younger sister Ada Leonora Bowley (1886 - 1943) was equally prolific in her work.  The two sisters were inseparable all their lives, lived together in various different homes and were devoted to one another.  Their father, Edwin, who was secretary of the British Empire Insurance Company, indulged his daughters' talent.  By 1877, Sophia May had written and illustrated several fairy tales of her own creation, and he had them privately published.  Edwin then enrolled both his precociously talented daughters in the Blackheath School of Art.  Sophia May went on the study at the Herkoner Art School between 1888 and 1891, and exhibited paintings at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibitions of 1890 and 1892.  Yet when their father lost their job, the two sisters had to put their skills to work to support their family.  Sophia May, with her work more readily known, secured a job first writing and illustrating numerous Victorian magazines.  Eventually she found employment with the Valentine and Sons publishing company and then at Raphael Tuck and Sons, for whom she produced beautiful postcards and illustrated books.  As in the rest of her life, wherever Sophia May went, Ada Leonora was sure to follow, and so she did when her sister was employed by Raphael Tuck and Sons.  Raphael Tuck developed a very close relationship with both sisters and favoured them with work that made them very popular, such as illustrating Christmas postcards and annuals as well as books of fairy tales.  The two sisters lead active social lives, although neither married.  Amongst their friends was the well known children's writer Edith Nesbit.  Whilst after the Great War (1914 - 1918) they did not work exclusively for Raphael Tuck and Sons any more, their work was so well known and loved, that their illustrative work ensured that they and their family were comfortable for the remainder of their days.  The Bowley sister's work was sold in their millions throughout their careers.

Taken on: June 5, 2014

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Sophia May Bowley

May Bowley

Edwardian

1900s

1906

Edwardiana

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Valentine and Sons

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Tales of Times Passed

Histoires ou Contes du Temps passé

Tales of Mother Goose

Les Contes de ma Mère l’Oye

Grimm's Fairy Tales

Brothers Grimm

Grimm Brothers

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Children's and Household Tales

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Sleeping Beauty

Briar Rose

The Sleeping Beauty of the Wood

Sleeping Beauty of the Wood

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La Belle au bois dormant

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Sets appears in: • Art Nouveau • Edwardiana more » • Collectables • The Art of the Bowley Sisters • Fairy Tale Postcards « less

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Camera: Canon DIGITAL IXUS 80 IS, f/2.8, 1/15 sec, 6.2mm, ISO 800 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon DIGITAL IXUS 80 IS
Aperture:	f/2.8
Exposure Time:	0.067 sec (1/15)
Focal Length:	6.2mm
ISO:	800
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
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