llustration artwork - 1898 - Hilda Cowham (1873-1964) - Watercolour/ink on paper

Original piece by Hilda Cowham from 1898. It looks to be watercolour with possibly some ink or inkwash, although I could be wrong on this. It is on paper measuring approx 10.5 x 7.25 inches. The text along the bottom of the artwork is in pencil and reads "This is not what Edwin expected when he so rashly promised to go shopping with his dearest Angelina".

The artwork is in reasonable condition but with some wear and tear. Most significant are a small tear in the artwork area at the bottom of the long parcel that the boy is holding and a small tear in the border area to the left of the boy's head. The back of the artwork also has some significant wear and tear - suggesting that it was once attached or glued to another material and then roughly removed.

I have received a query concerning the signature on this piece which is unlike the signature on many of Cowham's pieces where the letters are all capitalized. It appears that her signature evolved for a couple of years before settling in its capitalized form. In the additional images I have included a picture of an illustration by her from Pick-Me-Up magazine August 27 1898 where the signature is in the same lower case + date format as this piece.

https://hoxtonarcade.etsy.com/listing/1672028966