Illustrations for "Peronnik the Fool"

Stephen Gooden created these engravings in 1933 to illustrate the Breton folktale of Peronnik the Fool, a beloved story about a simple-minded young man who succeeds where knights have failed. Working in his signature copper engraving technique, Gooden would have meticulously incised each line into metal plates to create these illustrations. By 1933, he was at the height of his powers as an engraver—just elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers that same year. Gooden specialized in book illustration for fine press editions, having previously illustrated prestigious works like the King James Bible (1924) and classical texts. His engravings were known for being finely detailed, witty, and inventive—qualities that made him perfect for capturing the whimsy and magic of a medieval fairy tale about a fool who outwits sorcerers.

The choice of a Breton folktale reflects the 1930s fascination with Celtic mythology and medieval romance. Peronnik's story, in which innocence and pure-heartedness triumph over worldly wisdom, would have appealed to audiences during the Depression era. Look for Gooden's characteristic precision in the engraving—each line carved with deliberate control to build tone and texture without the aid of color. His background designing bookplates and banknotes trained him to work at small scale with extraordinary detail, making his book illustrations feel both intimate and technically masterful.