Jessie Willcox Smith ⁽³⁾

Jessie Willcox Smith was the artist who made you believe that children could not only look utterly adorable but could also be depicted in ways that made you want to adopt one on the spot (or at least hang their portrait on your wall). Best known for her enchanting illustrations of children, especially in books and magazines, Smith had the kind of style that could make even the grumpiest viewer smile. Her ability to capture innocence, curiosity, and the playful spirit of childhood made her a beloved figure in early 20th-century American art. If you’ve ever seen her work, you probably know it’s impossible to look at a baby in a bonnet without thinking of her soft, radiant style.

But let’s not just say she was good at drawing kids—Jessie Willcox Smith could also capture a whole world of imagination. Her illustrations for The Mother Goose and Little Women are as iconic as the stories themselves, often making you feel like you were transported to a world where every nursery rhyme was an adventure and every child had a little magical spark about them. With her soft colors, gentle lines, and undeniable warmth, she made us all want to return to the days of picnics and playtime, and if you couldn’t go back, at least her art made it feel like you could.