The Little Match Girl

Illustration by Kay Nielsen

This lovely illustration from Nielsen was inspired by the classic tale from Hans Christian Anderson, "The Little Match

Girl", and seems to be most closely associated with the following text:

She lighted another match. Now there she was sitting under the most magnificent

Christmas tree: it was still larger, and more decorated than the one which she had

seen through the glass door in the rich merchant's house.

Thousands of lights were burning on the green branches, and gaily-colored pictures,

such as she had seen in the shop-windows, looked down upon her. The little maiden

stretched out her hands towards them when - the match went out. The lights of the

Christmas tree rose higher and higher, she saw them now as stars in heaven; one fell

down and formed a long trail of fire.

The simplicity of the image - and some of the features within the illustration - are reminiscent of Nielsen's monotone

designs for Fairy Tales by Hans Andersen. While it seems probably that this image was prepared with that publication in

mind, it was not shown with the published suite in either colour or monotone format. 

The illustration

Complete Image	Single Greeting Card (with matching Envelope) Code: KN LMG SGC Price: US$5.00	Detail (for reference)

Our Greeting Cards

When presented on Greeting Cards, this image is prepared as a tipped-on plate - in hommage to the hand-crafted

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

hand-finished, with the image presented on Ivory card stock with an accompanying envelope. On the rear of each

card we also present some information about Kay Nielsen and this wonderful illustration. We have left the interior

of the cards blank so that you may write your own personal message.

Our large format reproductions

Each of our large format reproductions are prepared with archival quality materials and processes to ensure many years

of enjoyment. In addition, our reproductions are accompanied by explanatory material relating to Kay Nielsen and this

wonderful illustration.

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