May Queen Collection

Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, USA
May Day, c.1811-12 (oil on canvas) (Photo by Art Images via Getty Images)

At Beecher Street School, whose student body consists of half Americans... Southington, Conn
At Beecher Street School, whose student body consists of half Americans of Italian descent and half of Americans of Polish descent, Southington, Conn

I m to be Queen O the May, Mother, illustration from The Childrens Tennyson
IL244704 I m to be Queen O the May, Mother, illustration from The Childrens Tennyson: Stories in Prose and Verse from Alfred Lord Tennyson by May Byron, 1910 (colour litho) by Price

The May Queen, 1900 (pencil, w / c & bodycolour, heightened with silver
3431726 The May Queen, 1900 (pencil, w/c & bodycolour, heightened with silver, on oiled tracing paper) by MacDonald Mackintosh

Crowning the May Queen at the Wymering Festival (engraving)
1057857 Crowning the May Queen at the Wymering Festival (engraving) by Wilson, Thomas Harrington (fl.1842-86) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Crowning the May Queen at the Wymering Festival)

May-Day Festivities at Worsley, near Manchester (engraving)
1050064 May-Day Festivities at Worsley, near Manchester (engraving) by Kilburne, George Goodwin (1839-1924); Private Collection; (add.info.: May-Day Festivities at Worsley, near Manchester)

The May Queen and her Garland, at Glatton, Huntingdonshire (engraving)
1587504 The May Queen and her Garland, at Glatton, Huntingdonshire (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The May Queen and her Garland, at Glatton)

May Party of the Holland Dames of the New Netherlands at Van Cortlandt Park (b / w photo)
5215274 May Party of the Holland Dames of the New Netherlands at Van Cortlandt Park (b/w photo) by American Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Engraving depicting the crowning of the May Queen
5309039 Engraving depicting the crowning of the May Queen by Small, William (1843-1931); (add.info.: Engraving depicting the crowning of the May Queen)

Juvenile Fancy-Dress Ball, on 5 January, at the Mansion House (engraving)
1604456 Juvenile Fancy-Dress Ball, on 5 January, at the Mansion House (engraving) by Forestier, Amedee (1854-1930) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Juvenile Fancy-Dress Ball, on 5 January)

May Games at Wymering, Hampshire, the May Queen (engraving)
1610365 May Games at Wymering, Hampshire, the May Queen (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: May Games at Wymering, Hampshire, the May Queen)

May-Queen in the South of France (engraving)
3629799 May-Queen in the South of France (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: May-Queen in the South of France)

The crowning of the May Queen with a wreath of hawthorn by her sweetheart
5615996 The crowning of the May Queen with a wreath of hawthorn by her sweetheart. By William Small (1843-1929) an English illustrator, 1/1/1870 (engraving) by Small

Come Lasses and Lads (colour litho)
979498 Come Lasses and Lads (colour litho) by Caldecott, Randolph (1846-86); Private Collection; (add.info.: Come Lasses and Lads)

The May Queen (engraving)
1608783 The May Queen (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The May Queen. Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 10 May 1856)

May Queen throwing floral garlands at men, Folk festival, Victorian
Vintage illustration of from the traditional English song Come, Lasses And Lads. By Randolph Caldecott. May Queen throwing floral garlands at men, Folk festival

Garlands of the May Queen, Traditional English folk festival, 19th Century
Vintage illustration of from the traditional English song Come, Lasses And Lads. By Randolph Caldecott. Garlands of the May Queen, Traditional English folk festival, 19th Century

St Josephs Day, Blackburn, 1911
MITCHELL AND KENYON 275 ST JOSEPHs 2, BLACKBURN 1911

May Queen ceremony, Sharrow Lane Infants School
Believed to be Sharrow Lane School, Sheffield

So now I think my time is near, illustration to The May Queen by Alfred
XJF438469 So now I think my time is near, illustration to The May Queen by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 1875 (albumen print) by Cameron

For I m to be Queen of the May, Mother, illustration from The May Queen by Alfred
XJF438470 For I m to be Queen of the May, Mother, illustration from The May Queen by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 1875 (albumen print) by Cameron

May Day, c. 1811-12 (oil on canvas)
XYC123139 May Day, c.1811-12 (oil on canvas) by Collins, William (1788-1847); 94x111.8 cm; Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, USA; Gift of Jean M. Harford; English, out of copyright

Miss Mabel Ducat, Londons May Queen

Crowning of May Queen at Hayes Common 2 May 1920

Miss Evelyn Elmes, aged 11 of Upper Norwood. Londons May Queen 1 May 1921

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"May Queen: Celebrating the Timeless Tradition of Spring Royalty" Step into the enchanting world of the May Queen, a cherished tradition that transcends time and borders. From the hallowed halls of Yale Center for British Art in New Haven, USA to Beecher Street School in Southington, Conn. , this captivating figure has captured hearts across generations. Dating back to 1942, Charles Fenno Jacobs immortalized this cultural phenomenon through his evocative artwork at Beecher Street School. The image depicts a diverse student body coming together to celebrate their own version of the May Queen, showcasing unity amidst diversity. Inspired by Alfred Lord Tennyson's timeless words, "I'm to be Queen O' the May, " illustrator May Byron breathed life into this ethereal character in her 1910 masterpiece. With vibrant colors and delicate lithography techniques, she transported readers into a realm where dreams meet reality. Intriguingly rendered with pencil and watercolor heightened with silver accents, "The May Queen" from 1900 captures both grace and regality. This exquisite piece invites us to witness an ancient ceremony where nature intertwines with human celebration. Traveling further afield, we encounter scenes from Wymering Festival near Manchester and Glatton in Huntingdonshire. These engravings transport us back to simpler times when communities gathered joyously around their crowned queen adorned with garlands – symbols of fertility and rebirth. Even across continents, such as Van Cortlandt Park in New Netherlands or South France's idyllic landscapes; these celebrations unite people under one common thread - honoring spring's arrival through merriment and pageantry. From Juvenile Fancy-Dress Balls at Mansion House to exuberant May Games at Wymering Hampshire; these lively events showcase how children revel in dressing up as fairies or knights while paying homage to their beloved queen. As we delve deeper into history, we discover the enduring allure of the May Queen.