Images from Dorothy Nicolle's Christmas book
I met Dorothy Nicolle after I'd attended one of her intriguing talks on Shropshire. She showed herself to be more than a bit of an expert, as well as being a very good speaker. A couple of years later, after I'd started on my own book, she approached me to illustrate her own, "All you ever wanted to know about Christmas".
As I usually do, I read and researched closely, seeking to create work that would link meaningfully to her text, and which also would achieve a level of quality that matched her excellent writing. The originals are in ink and watercolour wash.
I have chosen just six images to display, trying to capture the Christmas feel and to show pictures with good balance and composition. The kind that will frame up nicely to make a nice gift to yourself or someone else ... to look good on the wall. They are printed in a sepia tone at giclee quality onto white watercolour paper ... so the best qualities of the originals are well reflected.
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Odin - with mount - image size 17cm by 17cm
When telling us about the background to Father Christmas, Dorothy says - "the ancient Scandinavians had a belief that, at the stroke of midnight on the longest night of the year, the god Odin would visit every household in the land ... to bring them goodwill, peace and plenty".
His magnificent horse had eight legs.
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Carol singers - with mount - image size 10cm by 23cm
About carols, Dorothy wrote - "they were originally just songs that were sung during the Midwinter festivities", predating Christmas by a long way. They were not always well received by post-pagan religions ... indeed, both the Roman Catholic Council at Avignon and later the Puritans in England banned the singing of them.
She further tell us that "We three Kings of Orient are" were probably not kings at all, but wise men, astronomers most likely.
- Original still for sale - enquire here.
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Collecting the Christmas tree - with mount - image size 17cm by 17cm
Like these three, I used to go into our local woods to collect a tree, and we had great fun dragging it home. Not so much fun cleaning up the needles afterwards though!
Dorothy wrote - "it was Prince Albert who popularised the Christmas tree in this country when, with the Queen and their children, he posed in front of a tree for a photograph in 1848".
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Santa calling - with mount - image size 17cm by 17cm
"The reindeer that pull Santa's sleigh are the only ones in the world that can fly".
Dorothy introduced this chapter by telling us - "the stories of a genial gentleman who visits houses all over the world on the Eve of Christmas go back a long way".
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Playing with Toys - with mount - image size 17cm by 17cm
"Giving gifts has been synononymous with Christmas since the very begginings. In fact it was already the custom among Romans to exchange gifts at the celebration of Saturnalia", Dorothy wrote.
Of course, in 2015, the toys and playthings that children receive may look very different to the ones that I've included in my scene. I'm a little doubtful that they're quite so "merry" as these, though ... on the whole, that is.
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Tucked up and waiting for Christmas - with mount - image size 10cm by 23cm
Such excitement! And don't they look so warm and comfortable?
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