The Brownies in the Orchard; The Advance

This drawing depicts little sprites invented by the Canadian-born artist Palmer Cox, creatures he called "The Brownies." His illustrated stories appeared in magazines and books from the late 19th century, with a series of books devoted to the Brownies published from 1887 into the 20th century. Their harmless pranks and helpful deeds were conceived to delight children. In this image, the creatures carry barrels and tubs from a barn into an orchard to hold apples they will pick before the fruit is spolied by frost.


The image was reproduced on page 14 of "Another Brownie Book" (New York: The Century Co., 1898) (MMA 1972.696.2), illustrating "The Brownies in the Orchard." Related text emphasizes the ingenuity and industriousness of the Brownies and affirms that they prefer to work at night when humans are asleep:

"Then bags and baskets were brought out from barns and buildings round about, with kettles, pans, and wooden-ware, that prying eyes discovered there; nay even, blankets from the beds, the pillow skips, and table spreads, were in some manner brought to light, to render service through the night."