Before the coming of the sinful Queen 1913

Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale probably made this fantasy scene with watercolour and a brush. I can imagine Fortescue-Brickdale peering intently at all the detail, because she has really gone to town on that hedge! It feels as though she has carefully assembled a miniature theatre for the fairies; there is a real sense of depth, with the distant hills providing a backdrop for the performance. The red of the foxgloves really pops and vibrates against all that green, and she’s included so many little details of plants and insects, each carefully observed and delicately rendered. Just look at the little fairies hiding among the leaves! Her Pre-Raphaelite buddies like John Everett Millais or Arthur Hughes were also into these rich colours and storytelling scenes. I imagine them all geeking out together about the hidden symbolism of plants and flowers. It's a reminder that artists are always in conversation, inspiring each other to see the world in new ways.