Animals of the Bible (1937)

Illustrated by Dorothy Lathrop

To the left, we show a copy of Animals of the Bible, as illustrated by Dorothy Lathrop - published by Frederick A Stokes Company (New York) in 1937.   This example retains the original cover, in addition to the rare decorative dust jacket.               On the right, we show the Title Page to Animals of the Bible.

Animals of the Bible (1937) includes a selection of text from the King James version of the Bible edited by Helen Dean Fish

and a wonderful suite of monotone illustrations by Dorothy Lathrop.

Lathrop's illustrations for Animals of the Bible were of such significance that she was awarded the inaugural Caldecott Medal

in 1938. That Medal is awarded by the American Library Association to the artist of the most distinguished American picture

book for children published in the preceding year.

In her Foreword, Helen Dean Fish provides a lovely introduction to Animals of the Bible and the work of Dorothy Lathrop:

I have always thought it delightful that through the Book that is rich and exciting and satisfying

above all others, animals so frequently play a part in the most dramatic and beautiful happenings

and are often referred to with appreciation and gentleness. Daniel's lions, Balaam's ass, and even

Eve's serpent are animals of dignity and importance, while the Behemoth and the Leviathan

contemplated by Job are creatures to command both awe and admiration. It is the soaring,

tireless eagle and the leaping hart that serve the Psalmist's imagery, and the ways of animals -

lions and sheep and sparrows - that illustrate the ways of men in the outpourings of the prophets

and in the parables that Jesus used to make his teachings plain to his hearers. Two of the greatest

poems in the Bible are God's talk with Job about the animals in the 39th, 40th and 41st chapters

of Job and David the Psalmist's song of God's care of all the creatures in the 104th Psalm.

In the days when my infant Sunday afternoons were devoted to poring over the pictures of a

big brown book of Bible stories, I felt a special affection for the Bible animals, and later as an

editor of children's books I cherished the plan of a beautiful picture book of the creatures that

so enliven the Old Testament stories, the Psalms and the Gospels. I hunted again the Bible animals,

even to the smallest coney in the rock of the wilderness of Palestine, and arrayed a goodly

menagerie. Dorothy Lathrop was the artist chosen for the exciting task of interpreting the animals,

and from her own long familiarity with the Bible stories that feature beast and bird and fish, she

chose the animals to be illustrated, selecting those that seem to her most interesting and picturable.

She has interpreted them with a love and understanding of animals that only one who has drawn

many animals from life can possess. During the drawing of these pictures, the artist studied not

only the fauna but the flora of Bible lands and times, and each desert rose, as well as each goat

and turtle dove is as true to natural history as it possible to be. As for the Behemoth and Leviathan,

with such stirring text, can a true artist fail the challenge?

Interest in animals is almost universal in children. It is only one approach to the Great Book, but

it is certain one, for as Browning remind us:

"God made all the creatures and gave them our love and our fear

To give sign we and they are His children, one family here."

As would be expected from a suite that is linked with the Caldecott Medal, Lathrop's illustrations for Animals of the Bible are

beautiful and are wonderful examples of her capacity to depict a variety of themes in an ethereal style.

Our Greeting Cards and Reproduction Prints

We have prepared sets of 30 Greeting Cards displaying each of Lathrop's major monotone illustrations for Animals of the Bible and on the right, we show an example of how these Greeting Cards appear. Ordering one of those sets is as easy as selecting the "Add to Cart" feature below and following the prompts provided with our Shopping Cart secured through PayPal. Multiple purchases will be consolidated by that feature and shipping and handling costs to any destination in the world are accommodated by our flat-rate fee of US$20 for every US$200 worth of purchases.     Code: DL AB MS(30) Price: US$160.00

When presented on Greeting Cards, these images are prepared as tipped-on plates - in hommage to the hand-crafted

approach typical of prestige illustrated publications produced in the early decades of the 20th Century.

Hand-finishing is used to replicate the visual appearance of a tipped-on plate and the images are presented on

White card stock with an accompanying envelope. We have left the cards blank so that you may write your own

personal message.

Should you wish to order a Reproduction Print of one or more of these images, we have provided some options

below. Of course, should you wish to discuss some customised options, we welcome your contact on any matter

through ThePeople@SpiritoftheAges.com.

In the meantime, enjoy perusing these wonderful examples of the art of Dorothy Lathrop.

The major monotone illustrations

The Story of the Creation of the Animals Genesis 1: 20-26 (Presented as a Diptych)		The Serpent and Eve Genesis 3: 1-6, 8-15	The Story of the Animals Saved in the Ark Genesis 6: 13-22 (Presented as a Diptych)
A pair of reproductions on 12x18" sheets Code: DL AB M1|2 12x18 Price: US$120.00		Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M3 12x18 Price: US$60.00	A pair of reproductions on 12x18" sheets Code: DL AB M4|5 12x18 Price: US$120.00
The Dove Who Served Noah Genesis 8: 6-12	Abraham's Ram Genesis 22: 3-13	Isaac's Camels at Rebekah's Well Genesis 24: 1-4, 10-12, 14, 15, 17-20	The Scapegoat Leviticus 16: 8-10, 21, 22	Balaam's Ass Numbers 22: 21-34
Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M6 12x18 Price: US$60.00	Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M7 12x18 Price: US$60.00	Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M8 12x18 Price: US$60.00	Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M9 12x18 Price: US$60.00	Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M10 12x18 Price: US$60.00
David Saves His Sheep from a Lion and a Bear I Samuel 17: 32-37	The Ravens Who Fed Elijah I Kings 17: 1-6	God Talks to Job about the Animals Job 39: 5-8, 19-29	Behemoth Job 40: 15-24	Leviathan Job 41: 1-5, 9, 10, 13-34
Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M11 12x18 Price: US$60.00	Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M12 12x18 Price: US$60.00	Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M13 12x18 Price: US$60.00	Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M14 12x18 Price: US$60.00	Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M15 12x18 Price: US$60.00
The Thirsting Hart Psalms 42: 1	The Mighty Eagle Isaiah 40: 28-31	God's Care of the Animals Psalms 104: 10-12, 16-28, 31	Daniel's Lion Daniel 6: 16-23	The Story of Jonah and the Great Fish Jonah 1: 1-7, 12-17; 2: 1-2, 9, 10
Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M16 12x18 Price: US$60.00	Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M17 12x18 Price: US$60.00	Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M18 12x18 Price: US$60.00	Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M19 12x18 Price: US$60.00	Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M20 12x18 Price: US$60.00
Animals Around the Christmas Manger Luke 2: 1, 3-7	The Flocks of the Christmas Shepherds Luke 2: 8-20	The Prodigal Son's Swine Luke 15: 11-24	The Foxes Have Holes Matthew 8: 19, 20	The Family Dogs Matthew 15: 21-28
Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M21 12x18 Price: US$60.00	Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M22 12x18 Price: US$60.00	Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M23 12x18 Price: US$60.00	Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M24 12x18 Price: US$60.00	Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M25 12x18 Price: US$60.00
The Palm Sunday Colt Mark 11: 1-9	As a Hen Gathereth Her Chickens Matthew 23: 37	Peter's Cock Luke 22: 54-62	The Peaceable Kingdom Isaiah 11: 4-9
Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M26 12x18 Price: US$60.00	Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M27 12x18 Price: US$60.00	Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB M28 12x18 Price: US$60.00	A pair of reproductions on 12x18" sheets Code: DL AB M29|30 12x18 Price: US$120.00

The monotone End Papers and Title Page illustration

Animals of the Bible End Papers (Presented as a Diptych)		Animals of the Bible Title Page
A pair of reproductions on 12x18" sheets Code: DL AB EP1|2 12x18 Price: US$120.00		Reproduction on 12x18" sheet Code: DL AB TP 12x18 Price: US$60.00