Baa Baa Black Sheep by Fern Biesel Peat

Baa Baa Black Sheep by Fern Biesel Peat

c.1934

Linen Print

Mother Goose

A charming color-lithographed linen print from the mid-1930s, this delightful illustration vividly brings to life the classic nursery rhyme Baa Baa Black Sheep. Executed by the prominent American illustrator and toy designer Fern Bisel Peat around 1934, the composition depicts a young boy playfully lifting the hem of his tunic as he interacts with a stylized black lamb. The scene is rendered in Peat's signature Art Deco-influenced style, featuring soft pastel greens, bright corals, and rich earth tones, accented by clusters of towering hollyhocks and fluttering butterflies in the background. Printed directly onto textured linen fabric, the artwork combines bold, rounded outlines with a distinct tactile quality, creating a cheerful and comforting visual narrative designed specifically for a child's environment.

This print was originally created as a full-page illustration for a collectible, linenette edition of Mother Goose nursery rhymes, a medium heavily popularized during the Great Depression for its durability and safety in nurseries. Fern Bisel Peat (1893–1971) was a highly influential Ohio-based artist who revolutionized children's decorative arts in the 1920s and 1930s through her work with the Saalfield Publishing Company, her custom children's wallpaper lines, and her innovative wooden toy designs. This piece exemplifies the "Golden Age" of American children's book illustration, showcasing how commercial publishers elevated nursery decor into high-quality graphic art that helped define the visual culture of early 20th-century American childhood.

Dimensions: H 12 ½” x 10”W

Condition: Very good condition