Flower Fish

Taken from the book, McElligot’s Pool (1947), Flower Fish is included in the collection known as the “Early Works” of Dr.Seuss.
These paintings show a correlation to Ted Geisel’s first vocation as an editorial cartoon illustrator, where he used heavy black ink backgrounds to visually pop the imagery forward.
This dramatic artistic trait is prevalent in his paintings from the 1930s and 40s. Works such as these have become some of the most sought-after prints.

Like most works of merit, the work of Dr. Seuss has been over-analyzed; many a frustrated pseudo-scholar has found devices where there are truly none to be found. For the most part, Ted enjoyed writing entertaining books that encourage children to read. There are several—his later books, in particular—that were, in fact, inspired by current events or his own personal concerns.