Feckless Maggie Ann

John R. Neill did a lot of magazine work during the golden age of illustration, when there were many magazines filled with illustrated stories. This type of publication doesn't really seem to exist anymore, at least not at a mainstream level.

Feckless Maggie Ann was written by Lorna Moon and published in Century Magazine in April 1922. Neill illustrated a couple of stories by Lorna Moon (what a name!), dealing with rustic Irish folk. I find her stories a bit depressing, although I suppose, in a certain sense, they might be considered uplifting. This piece shows a dockside scene, and is a nice example of Neill's use of both bold and delicate line. It was published in the magazine as a full page illustration.

This was the first piece of Neill artwork I purchased, 20-some years ago.