"Introducing Heidi." Original illustration for page 11 of "Heidi" by Johanna Spyri (Philadelphia: David McKay Company, 1922). Charcoal and watercolor on board. 10 1/2x8 inches, on 20x15-inch board. Unsigned but captioned "Chapter I" in lower margin with publisher's label on verso.


an original drawing from smith's final fully-illustrated work.

Heidi was "a perfect showcase for Smith's illustrative art. The book represents the last major children's story in which Smith specifically designed illustrations. Fourteen separate books would follow until Smith's death in 1935, but all of these were either composites of illustrations from previous Good Housekeeping covers, or they represented relatively minor contributions of only a few illustrations. Smith's paintings for Heidi are quite unique in their use of coloration, with many shades of purple, green, and orange, giving an ethereal effect"-- Edward Nudelman, Jessie Willcox Smith, American Illustrator, page 42.