Elenore Abbott's Dragon Princess (1920): beautifully framed antique book illustration

Important as EPA's formal training was at PAFA, with Howard Pyle, and at the Académie Colarossi in Paris, her association with other artists in Philadelphia’s vibrant art community was probably more a significant factor in her artistic development. EPA probably joined the Plastic Club on Comac Street in late-1899 or early in 1900 while working on That Mainwaring Affair. By the time she completed her second project in 1906, she was moving away the bland storytelling compositions she had gleaned from Howard Pyle. Her lines were beginning to flow, her colors were becoming vibrant, and she was beginning to exhibit her flair for design. These qualities of her style reached their peak in the nine Illustrations EPA created for the Grimm’s Fairy Tales edition Charles Scribner’s Sons brought out in 1920. Of these, in my opinion, "The Princess and the Dragon" is the most alluring. While EPA’s work was stylish and beautiful, this book was the only one EPA did for Scribner.