Kate Greenaway’s Valentine’s Illustrations (Free Printables)

Get ready to add a touch of vintage charm to your home decor with this collection of Kate Greenaway’s Valentine’s illustrations. In this post, I’m so excited to share with you a selection of her beautiful Valentine’s illustrations that you can download and print at home. With charming illustrations of children and also romantic scenes, these free printables will add a touch of nostalgia to your holiday decorations.

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Known for her beautiful, whimsical drawings and watercolors, Kate Greenaway’s Valentine’s illustrations are the perfect way to add a touch of nostalgia and romance to your celebrations.

In this post, we will share with you some of her most iconic and beautiful Valentine’s illustrations that you can download and print at home.

The Charm of Kate Greenaway’s Valentines Illustrations

In this post, we showcase Kate Greenaway’s Valentine’s illustrations. Her gorgeous art style is easy to spot with its delicate details, soft pastel colors, and the use of light and shadow.

Her illustrations have a sentimental, nostalgic feel that has me reminiscing about the era in which she lived. To this day, Kate Greenaway’s illustrations prove their timeless appeal.

Bringing Kate Greenaway’s Valentine’s Illustrations to Life with Free Printables

Many of Kate’s works, including her illustrations for Valentine’s Day, are now in the public domain. Therefore they are free to use, share, and reproduce by anyone.

This has made her illustrations widely available and popular among art enthusiasts as well as collectors. In fact, her most iconic illustrations and other collections of art are in the British Library.

But you can get your hands on them today for free and use them as home decor for Valentine’s Day!

The Quiver of Love: The Delicate Beauty of Kate Greenaway’s Valentine’s Illustrations

These beautiful Valentine illustrations are available in a free pdf file in full-page illustrations or 5×7 illustration printables.

Add a Fine Art Print to Elevate Your Home Decor with Kate Greenaway’s Iconic Illustrations

I love to change my art regularly so my preferred method is to print at home. But you have quite a few options for your beautiful Kate Greenaway Valentine’s illustrations.

1. Print at Home. You can easily print these at home on regular print paper, or even 80 lb cardstock. But another great option is to take the file and have them printed at a professional print shop.
2. Professional Art Print. Print her illustrations in the form of Giclée prints, most often used in reproduction prints. Giclée (pronounced “zhee-clay”) is a fine art high-quality paper or canvas, typically referred to as “archival”. This allows people to enjoy her illustrations as wall art or in the form of cards, and more. For fairly reasonable prices you can get high-quality art prints in the mail!

Free Printables of Kate Greenaway’s Valentine’s Illustrations: A Perfect Gift for Book Lovers

While I love to use art prints as actual wall art for decoration in my home, it isn’t the only way to use them. Here are a few more great ideas to enjoy these free printable illustrations.

• Greeting Cards Designs
• Wall Art
• Gift Wrapping
• Party Decorations
• Bookmarks
• Designs for Cross-Stich or Other Crafts
• Inspiration for Your Own Illustrations or Art Projects

Short Bio of the Artist Kate Greenaway

Kate Greenaway, or Catherine Greenaway, was an English artist and illustrator best known for her work in children’s literature. Born in 1846, she was the daughter of John Greenaway, a drawing master, and engraver.

Kate began her artistic career by studying at the Slade School of Fine Art in London. However, her early illustrations were published in the Illustrated London News and other periodicals. She quickly gained a reputation as one of the leading artists of her time.

The Impact of Kate Greenaway’s Valentine’s Illustrations on Children’s Literature

In 1878, Greenaway began working with publisher Edmund Evans, who produced high-quality books featuring her illustrations. Some of her most famous works from this period include Mother Goose, Marigold Garden, A Apple Pie, and the Quiver of Love which is a collection of Valentine’s Day illustrations.

Because of her unique and realistic depiction of nostalgic and idyllic views of childhood, her art played a huge role in the development of children’s picture books. Greenaway’s illustrations were not only popular in England, but also in the United States and Europe.

Among the Most Influential Children’s Artists of the Victorian Era

Kate worked alongside several other influential children’s artists of the Victorian era. Two very popular were Walter Crane and Randolph Caldecott. Both were known for their unique styles in the genre of children’s illustration.

W. Crane was known for his book illustrations in the form of black and white drawings and his work was widely imitated by other illustrators. Caldecott was known for his illustrations in children’s books, as well as his work as an artist and caricaturist.

Both he and Kate were regarded as part of the Golden Age of Illustration. And were therefore hugely influential in the development of children’s illustration and picture books.

They were also both associated with the publisher Edmund Evans, who was known for producing high-quality, color-printed children’s books. They were also both awarded the gold medal at the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1888.

The British Library holds a collection of Kate Greenaway’s illustrations, which include original drawings, watercolors, and prints. These illustrations are both artistic and historically important.

They are also valuable resources for researchers, artists, and students. Or simply for anyone interested in her work, the history of children’s literature, and the genre of illustration.

Many of her illustrations are now in the public domain. Therefore they’re free to use as fine art prints, canvas prints, and other forms of wall art.

Greenaway died of breast cancer in 1901, at the age of 55.

American Illustrators and Artists that May Interest You

I often spotlight artists and illustrators from England as a part of the Golden Age of Children’s illustrations of the Victorian Era. Here are a few more contemporary American artists for a change!

Jean Michel Basquiat, an American artist, had a unique style with his use of public-domain images in his art. He used to take famous images and incorporated them into his artworks, making a statement about the black community and cultures. Therefore you’d often catch a glimpse of pop culture icons in his provocative and politically charged imagery.

Norman Rockwell was an American artist and illustrator, most famous for his works featured in the “Saturday Evening Post” magazine. His paintings and illustrations often depicted everyday American life and culture and therefore were known for their attention to detail and realism. Also, a fun fact, he often preferred friends, family, and neighbors as models for his paintings.

Bringing Vintage Book Illustrations to Life with Free Printables

As a self-proclaimed bibliophile and art lover I very often spotlight my favorite book illustrators and use their work as art in my home. It’s one of my joys getting to pick which one to pull out of my hat. Here are a few favorites you might like to check out!

• Beatrix Potter’s “Squirrel Nutkin” Illustrations
• Arthur Rackham’s “A Christmas Carol” Illustrations
• Arthur Rackham’s Alice in Wonderland Illustrations