Oh, Don’t Hurt Me! Cried Tom — Jessie Willcox Smith

Jessie Willcox Smith’s Oh, Don’t Hurt Me! Cried Tom. I Only Want to Look at You; You Are So Handsome places a small child face-to-face with an enormous fish in a strange underwater world. The fish dominates the vertical composition, emerging through sweeping layers of gray, cream, and pale yellow, while tiny red markings punctuate its silvery body. Tom crouches quietly below, emphasizing the extraordinary difference in scale.

Created in 1916 for Charles Kingsley’s The Water-Babies, the work combines charcoal, watercolor, and oil. Smith’s soft modeling and subdued palette give the underwater scene a dreamlike, slightly mysterious atmosphere, balancing the child’s vulnerability with a sense of curiosity and wonder.

Artwork Details

• Artist: Jessie Willcox Smith
• Title: Oh, Don’t Hurt Me! Cried Tom. I Only Want to Look at You; You Are So Handsome
• Original title: Oh, don't hurt me! cried Tom. I only want to look at you; you are so handsome
• Series: The Water-Babies
• Date: 1916
• Period: Early 20th century
• Place of Origin: United States
• Medium: Charcoal, watercolor, and oil

Framed Print Details

• Fine art printing: Professional 12-color fine art printing technology produces vivid, accurate colors with strong tonal depth and significantly greater nuance than standard 4-color inkjet printing.
• Paper: Smooth premium matte paper with a clean, glare-free finish.
• Paper weight: 200 gsm (80 lb).
• Paper thickness: 0.26 mm (10.3 mils).
• Frame material: Durable pine wood.
• Frame dimensions: Approximately 20 mm (0.79 in) deep and 10–14 mm (0.4–0.6 in) wide.
• Protection: Shatterproof plexiglass protects the print while keeping the framed artwork lightweight.
• Ready to hang: A hanging kit is included, allowing the framed print to be mounted directly on the wall.
• Available sizes: Offered in a range of sizes to suit different spaces.
• Materials: Printed using FSC-certified paper and wood where available.
• Production: Each framed print is produced to order through a trusted international network of professional print studios.
• Shipping: Worldwide shipping is available.
• Made to order: There is no minimum order quantity. Each piece is printed and assembled on demand, reducing unnecessary stock and waste.

Exact frame dimensions, component availability, and production specifications may vary slightly depending on the selected size and destination.