The Lady Lever Art Gallery will explore 100 years of Cicely Mary Barker’s ethereal illustrations in a new exhibition Flower Fairies. In association with Penguin Ventures (part of Penguin Random House UK), the exhibition in Liverpool looks at the delicate work created by Barker.
Flower Fairies features around 45 exquisite and botanically accurate, original illustrations, including Barker’s best-loved flower fairy creations and early sketches, alongside digital projections, items from National Museums Liverpool’s botany collection and costumes inspired by the fairies, designed by award-winning costume designer Vin Burnham.
“Barker was inspired by the books of Randolph Caldecott and Kate Greenaway, whose precise use of line and vibrant colour influenced her work, as well as Pre-Raphaelites artists whose work features in Lady Lever Art Gallery’s permanent collection, " said Fiona Slattery Clark, Curator of Decorative Art at National Museums Liverpool (NML) and co-curator of the exhibition, alongside David Moffat, Assistant Curator at NML. “We are displaying Barker's art next to examples of herbarium sheets from NML's collection. Barker studied plants in minute detail and her illustrations are always botanically accurate, so we wanted to highlight and celebrate that.
The Crocus Fairies from Flower Fairies of the Spring
“The exhibition also considers the popularity of fairies in the 1920s when Cicely Mary Barker first created the Flower Fairies. 100 years on, the Flower Fairies continue to bring joy to people around the world. These charming illustrations celebrate the beauty of nature and the innocence of childhood. They offer a unique combination of fantasy and naturalism, opening a window into a magical fairyland blooming with flowers."
The cultural impact of Cicely Mary Barker’s Flower Fairies can still be seen in the modern era through high fashion and popular culture. In Spring 2022, Gucci created a range of clothing and accessories adorned with characters created by Barker, and musician Billie Eilish drew inspiration from the book Fairyopolis for a recent tattoo.
Sara Glenn, Commercial Curator at Penguin Ventures said: “Highlights on loan from the Warne Archive will include a selection of original Flower Fairy artworks and three beautiful costumes specially created in quarter scale by Vin Burnham.
Flower Fairies at the Lady Lever Art Gallery opens April 15 and runs through November 5.
