1847 – Arthur’s Birthday Party (2)

This colourful evening setting illustrates “Arthur’s Birthday Party” and is a full Title Page illustration from “Green’s Nursery Annual”, published by Darton & Clark, in 1847. The book contains a number of colour illustrations by Weir, some of the earliest known. The birthday story is but one of the many stories included in the book, and that particular story relates to the 8th Birthday of one Arthur Maitland, but by coincidence, Weir’s firstborn son, was also named Arthur, and was born in March of that year. His full name was Arthur Herring Weir, no doubt in honour of his maternal grandfather, John F Herring Snr. However, we know that the artwork was likely to have been produced in 1846, as a gift inscription inside the book is dated Christmas of that year. This image shows the Victorian parents watching as the children both play and socialise in groups. The colours in this illustration are vibrant, having already lasted for nearly 170 years. The enlargements in the details provided, attest to that. We also show the full page with Titles, and if desired, the purchaser may choose to include those or not. Weir formed a long and lasting friendship with the Darton publishing family. One member of the family wrote a tribute to Weir which is included on this site. An ideal print for a young person’s bedroom, currently available in A4, A3 and A2 sizing options.