A Little Boy Lost 1920

Dorothy Lathrop created ‘A Little Boy Lost’ using ink, deploying her skills as an illustrator to evoke a narrative. This image conjures a world where the boundary between humans and nature is blurred. The boy, seemingly vulnerable, clutches a bird close to his chest, while he is flanked by adult flamingos. The setting appears dreamlike, an otherworldly marsh of sparse vegetation. Lathrop was an established illustrator of children’s books in the United States. Her images offered a vital contribution to the growth of children's literature as a distinct genre. The book industry was expanding rapidly, creating new opportunities for women artists to establish themselves professionally. Through a formal economy of books and illustrations, artists like Lathrop could gain independence. Her images reflected the rise of sentimentalism and a romanticized vision of childhood. To truly understand art, we have to investigate its context, using an array of resources. In Lathrop’s case, it means engaging with the world of publishing, and tracing the image's circulation to its intended audience.