Apples and Alcotts

Initially these Little-Women-esque siblings were going to be ice-skating, but I was sidetracked by thinking about apples. The Marches' home in Little Women is inspired by Orchard House, where Louisa May Alcott lived from the age of 26 with her parents and sisters. And the house was named after the many surrounding apples trees by Louisa May Alcott’s father, Amos Bronson, a wonderfully idealistic teacher who believed that all morality comes from within. So there are all those apples – and I also love Louisa's description of her hero Jo retreating to her garret with six apples and a novel to weep over.

 

As I painted, I thought a lot about the conversations about social reform that happened in Orchard House (including on vegetarianism, abolition, women’s rights). And I thought about the amateur theatricals, and the writing and painting. Alcott wrote Little Women on a tiny ‘shelf desk’ built by her father, and paintings by her sister May – the inspiration for Amy – filled their home. What a place to live! – it is now a museum and very high of my (absurdly long) wish list of homes to visit.

 

I found it intriguing to explore how the March family's image has changed through time. This first illustration is by Louisa May Alcott's’s sister May for this first, 1868 edition. Tender, but not the most successful in terms of proportion (perhaps a warning against relying overly on your siblings!).

This next is by Millicent Etheldreda Gray (what a name) from the 1922 edition commissioned by Hodder & Stoughton. This was the first edition I encountered, so it feels to me like the classic. (I have also just signed a contract with Hodder & Stoughton for my next book, so I am feeling very fond.)