Undine

by F. de la Motte Fouque

Illustrated by Rosie M M Pitman

 Published by Macmillan and Co. Limited in 1897. Deemed first edition in this format. 204 pages. 20.3cm x14cm Blue cloth bound boards, gilt title on front board and spine, 18 black and white illustrations as well as numerous headers,tailpieces and illustrated initials

Rose Margaret Mclean Pitman (1868-1947) was born in Manchester into the illustrious and industrious, Pitman family. Her uncle was Sir Isaac Pitman (1813 -1897), inventor of Pitman Shorthand and her Father, Henry was also an expert in the skill of writing by sound. The family were proponents of vegetarianism and homeopathy and were anti vaccinations.

Rosie Pitman was active as an illustrator of children's books until about 1904 and exhibited at The Royal Academy. She appears to have married in 1905 to Frederick Heine, a naturalized German but subsequently reverted to her maiden name. Whether this was a brief marriage and perhaps is the reason she faded into obscurity is not known. 'Undine' is probably her finest work and the illustrations are beautiful and Pre Raphaelite in style.