‘Your fathers, where are they?’, an illustration by J. W. North for a poem by Philip Dodridge

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Your fathers, where are they?

J. W. North

1867

Wood engraving by the Dalziels

5 x 4 inches

Illustration for The Spirit of Praise, 161.

A serene image of children gathering flowers in a churchyard, which has no negative associations but is presented as place of beauty and peace. [Commentary continues below.]

Photograph and text by Simon Cooke [Click on image to enlarge it.]

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The characters in the illustration fuse with the natural world in anticipation of returning to the earth, as their fathers have; the church in the background provides a sturdy reassurance, dominating the composition. A prime example of Idyllic imagery, North’s design enshrines Christian orthodoxy in the Victorian age and offers a comforting vision of the interchangeability of life and death.

Bibliography

The Spirit of Praise. London: Frederick Warne [1867].

Created 19 April 2021