Florence M Wagner Appraisal

Framed 'Monday's Child' Pen and Ink Style Print by Florence M. Wagner

This is a horizontal framed print featuring a series of seven stylized female portraits, each corresponding to a day of the week based on the traditional 'Monday's Child' nursery rhyme. The artwork is executed in a black pen-and-ink style with intricate cross-hatching and fine line work, characteristic of early to mid-20th-century illustration. Each figure is depicted from the bust up, wearing unique headwear or accessories that reflect the mood of their descriptive line: for instance, Wednesday's child (full of woe) appears in a shawl, while Thursday's child (has far to go) wears a travel-style cap. The text of the poem is printed in a cursive script beneath each respective illustration. The piece is signed 'Florence M. Wagner' and dated '1932' in the lower right corner, indicating a style consistent with the Late Art Deco or Storybook Illustration period. The print is housed in a professional double-matting with a light gray/mottled outer mat and a dark inner accent mat. The frame is a dark walnut-toned wood featuring a beaded inner border (perle) and a polished finish. The condition appears excellent with no visible foxing, water damage, or fading to the ink, though the frame shows very minor shelf wear on the edges. The composition's balance and the detailed rendering of the faces suggest high-quality commercial illustration of the era.