Eleanor Vere Boyle was an artist of the Victorian era whose work consisted mainly of watercolor illustrations in children’s books. These illustrations were strongly influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites, being highly detailed and haunting in content.
However, even though she was one of the first woman artists to be recognized for her achievements, she did not exhibit or sell work often as it was not acceptable given her family’s social status. Thus, she signed her works “EVB” to obscure her identity and quickly became one of the most important female illustrators in the 1860s. >
Her illustrations for Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales in 1872, which was one of the earliest editions illustrated by an English person, included twelve full color images and many other line drawings. Three years later, Eleanor Vere Boyle created a retelling and illustration of the well-known story Beauty and the Beast, what is considered one of her greatest works.
Other notable works by Eleanor Vere Boyle are her illustrations in The Story Without an End and Child’s Play, as well as her illustrations and writings in Ros Rasarum Ex Horto Poetarum (1885). The Story Without an End is originally a German story by Friedrich Wilhelm Carove. It was later translated by Sarah Austin to English, and illustrated by Eleanor.
Near the end of her career, Eleanor Vere Boyle continued to write, the content focused on nature as she wrote and illustrated garden books.
(source: wikipedia)