Maria Louise Kirk

Maria Louise Kirk (21 June 1860 – 21 June 1938), usually credited as M. L. Kirk or Maria L. Kirk, was an American painter and illustrator of more than fifty books, most of them for children.

Her notable work includes illustrations for a US edition of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in 1904, for the first edition of The Secret Garden, and for several books by L. M. Montgomery and Johanna Spyri.

Life and work

Born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Kirk studied art in Philadelphia at the School of Design for Women and then at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, She had exhibitions around Pennsylvania and won awards in Philadelphia and Chicago.

In the 1890s, she went on to study at the Art Institute of Chicago and in 1894 won the Mary Smith Prize of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, for a portrait.

During her career, Kirk illustrated more than fifty books, including an American edition of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in 1904. Her style is individual, little influenced by the Jugendstil or Art Deco movements.

Reception A review of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1904) in The Advance magazine said of it "Fifty-seven illustrations by M. L. Kirk and John Tenniel will keep the small reader at fever heat."

List of books illustrated Kate Upson Clark, That Mary Ann: the Story of a Country Summer (Boston: D. Lothrop Co., 1893) Theodora R. Jenness, Piokee and Her People (Boston: D. Lothrop Co., 1894) "Pansy", Pansy's Sunday Book: For afternoon readers :gems of literature and art, with numerous illustrations (Boston: Lothrop Publishing Co., 1896) Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (New York: Frederick A. Stokes Co., 1904) Inez N. McFee, The Story of Idylls of the King, adapted from Tennyson, by Inez N. McFee, with the original poem (New York: Frederick A. Stokes Co., 1912) Clayton Edwards, The Story of Evangeline, Adapted from Longfellow. With the Original Poem (New York: The Hampton Publishing Co., 1913) Mrs Molesworth, The Cuckoo Clock (J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1914) F. J. Harvey Darton, The Story of the Canterbury Pilgrims Retold from Chaucer and Others (J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1914) Stella George Stern Perry, The Angel of Christmas: a vision of to-day (New York: Frederick A. Stokes Co., 1917) Charles Kingsley, The Water Babies (J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1918) Johanna Spyri, Vinzi: a Story of the Swiss Alps (J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1923) Lucy Maud Montgomery, Emily of New Moon (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1923; New York: Frederick A. Stokes Co., 1923)

Gallery