Illustration for "Peronnik the Fool": A Bill and a Wooden Block

Stephen Gooden created this engraving in 1933 as an illustration for "Peronnik the Fool," a Breton folk tale about a simpleton who succeeds where knights fail. Working at the height of his career—the same year he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers—Gooden brings his characteristic wit and meticulous technique to this scene. The illustration depicts two of the magical objects Peronnik must obtain on his quest: a bill (a type of cutting blade) and a wooden block. Gooden was renowned for his finely detailed copper engravings, and this work demonstrates the precision and inventiveness that made him one of Britain's leading engravers of the 1930s.

Gooden's association with fine press publications, particularly his earlier work for the Nonesuch Press, prepared him perfectly for illustrating literary texts with elegance and imagination. His engravings were known for their technical brilliance—achieved through countless carefully cut lines on copper—and their ability to capture both narrative drama and decorative beauty. By 1933, Gooden had already illustrated prestigious editions including the King James Bible and classical texts, bringing the same craftsmanship to this Breton folk tale. The engraving reflects the interwar period's fascination with folklore and fairy tales, rendered with the sophisticated technique that would soon earn Gooden election to the Royal Academy.