Helen Stratton facts for kids

Helen Isobel Mansfield Ramsey Stratton (born April 5, 1867 – died June 4, 1961) was a talented British artist. She was especially known for drawing pictures for children's books.

About Helen Stratton

An illustration from Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen

Helen Stratton was born in Nowganj, Bundelkhand, Madhya Pradesh, India on April 5, 1867. Her father, John Proudfoot Stratton, was a surgeon in the Indian military. Soon after Helen was born, her family moved to England. They settled in the city of Bath.

By 1891, Helen was in Kensington, London. She went to art school there. She became interested in a style called Art Nouveau. This style was popular at the Glasgow School of Art. For many years, Helen lived and worked in Kensington. She drew pictures for books and painted. She lived with her mother and siblings. Helen never married. In the 1930s, she moved back to Bath. She passed away on June 4, 1961, when she was 95 years old.

Her Career as an Illustrator

Starting in 1896, Helen Stratton became famous for her bold and creative drawings. She often used pen and ink. Her first big success was a book called Songs for Little People by Norman Gale. People loved how she decorated the pages with beautiful drawings.

In 1898, she drew 167 pictures for a book called Beyond the Border. A year later, she reached the top of her career. She created over 400 drawings for The Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen. This book was published in a special Art Nouveau style. In the same year, she worked with William Heath Robinson and other artists. They drew hundreds of pictures for The Arabian Nights Entertainments.

At first, Helen was known for her black and white drawings. But she also used watercolors for some books. These included Heroic Legends (1908) and A Book of Myths (1915). Her drawings for The Princess and the Goblin and its sequel The Princess and Curdie (1912) were very popular. These books have been printed many times since then.

Some Books Helen Stratton Illustrated

Helen Stratton illustrated many classic stories. Here are a few examples of the books she helped bring to life:

• Norman Rowland Gale - Songs For Little People (1896)
• Hans Christian Andersen – The Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen (1899)
• Anonymous - The Arabian Nights Entertainments (1899)
• Brothers Grimm – Grimm’s Fairy Tales (1903)
• Hans Christian Andersen – Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales (1905)
• Agnes Grozier Herbertson – Heroic Legends (1908)
• George MacDonald – The Princess and The Goblin (1911)
• George MacDonald – The Princess and Curdie (1912)
• Jean Lang – A Book of Myths (1915)