The Rescue

W. W. Denslow prints bring the original Wonderful Wizard of Oz, with its Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Cowardly Lion and Winged Monkeys, onto your walls. Denslow was the American illustrator who first drew Oz for L. Frank Baum's 1900 book, and a cartoonist and poster designer. Our collection of fine art prints covers his Oz pictures, Denslow's Mother Goose, his picture books, comic strips and posters.

About W. W. Denslow

William Wallace Denslow was born in Philadelphia on 5 May 1856, the son of a tobacco wholesaler. He spent short periods at the National Academy of Design and Cooper Union in New York but was largely self-taught. In the 1880s he travelled around the United States as an artist and newspaper reporter, and in 1893 he came to Chicago for the World's Columbian Exposition and stayed.

He first made his name as a poster artist, and also designed books and bookplates; he was the first artist invited to work at the Roycroft Press. In Chicago he met the writer L. Frank Baum, perhaps at the Chicago Press Club. Together they made Father Goose: His Book and, in 1900, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and they held the copyrights jointly. Denslow also designed the sets and costumes for the 1902 stage version, but a quarrel over shares of its profits ended the partnership.

On his own he produced Denslow's Mother Goose (1901), Denslow's Night Before Christmas (1902) and an 18-volume series of picture books (1903–04), and drew comic strips including Denslow's Scarecrow and the Tin-Man and Billy Bounce. His Oz earnings let him buy Bluck's Island in Bermuda, where he jokingly styled himself King Denslow I, though he could not keep it. He died of pneumonia in New York on 29 March 1915.

Style and Subjects

Denslow's illustrations are bold and cheerful, with heavy black outlines, flat areas of bright colour and plenty of humour. His Oz characters, from the round-faced Scarecrow to the Tin Woodman and the Winkies, became the first images of Oz for generations of readers.

He also had a strong sense of page design, drawn from his poster work: text and pictures sit together in decorative panels.

Famous Works

• Father Goose: His Book. Nonsense verses by L. Frank Baum, their first book together.
• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900). His colour illustrations for Baum's classic, which created the look of Oz.
• The Winged Monkeys (1900). One of the most memorable pictures from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
• Denslow's Mother Goose (1901). His own illustrated edition of the traditional nursery rhymes.
• Denslow's Night Before Christmas (1902). His illustrated version of the Christmas poem.
• Denslow's Humpty Dumpty (1903–04), Library of Congress, Washington. One of the 18 picture books in his own series.
• Denslow's Scarecrow and the Tin-Man (c. 1904). A newspaper comic strip starring his Oz characters.

Decorating with Denslow Prints

Denslow's bright, bold illustrations are a natural choice for a nursery, playroom or child's bedroom. A row of Oz pictures such as The Wonderful Emerald City of Oz or a set of Mother Goose plates makes a cheerful gallery wall.

Fans of the Oz books will also enjoy them in a reading nook, library or home office, where their vintage colour and graphic style suit both retro and modern interiors.

FAQ

Who illustrated the original Wizard of Oz?

W. W. Denslow illustrated The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, published in 1900 with text by L. Frank Baum. His pictures were the first images of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion.

Why did Denslow stop working with L. Frank Baum?

The two quarrelled over how to share the profits of the 1902 stage version of The Wizard of Oz, and Baum decided not to work with him again. Later Oz books were illustrated by John R. Neill.

What else did Denslow illustrate?

He illustrated Father Goose: His Book, Denslow's Mother Goose, Denslow's Night Before Christmas, an 18-volume series of picture books and several comic strips.

Where can I see Denslow's original work?

The Library of Congress holds copies of Denslow's Mother Goose, Humpty Dumpty and Three Bears, and a project begun in 2018 is cataloguing surviving original Oz artwork.

Related Artists

• Arthur Rackham: leading book illustrator of fairy tales in the same years
• Maxfield Parrish: American illustrator of the same era
• Howard Pyle: leading American book illustrator of the period
• John Tenniel: illustrator of Alice in Wonderland, the other great children's fantasy