The Story Of A Tree
Drawing
ca. 1945 (made), 1945 (published)
ca. 1945 (made), 1945 (published)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Although he trained as an actor, Rolf Brandt enjoyed drawing and making collages. In his native Germany he developed an interest in Dada and Surrealism and in Bauhaus artists such as Paul Klee. He moved to London from Hamburg in the early 1930s with his brother Bill (1904–83), who became famous as a photographer.
This is one of nine illustrations that Brandt made for the children’s book The Story of a Tree by Stephen McFarlane. Charting the passage of a tree from forest to sawmill to carpenter’s workshop to toyshop, the images are a charming example of illustration for children at the end of the Second World War. Brandt’s interest in Surrealism is evident in some of the illustrations, especially this cover page, where the trees take on the forms of furniture and toys.
This is one of nine illustrations that Brandt made for the children’s book The Story of a Tree by Stephen McFarlane. Charting the passage of a tree from forest to sawmill to carpenter’s workshop to toyshop, the images are a charming example of illustration for children at the end of the Second World War. Brandt’s interest in Surrealism is evident in some of the illustrations, especially this cover page, where the trees take on the forms of furniture and toys.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Story Of A Tree (series title) |
| Materials and techniques | Gouache on paper, on card support |
| Brief description | Drawing, cover illustration for the Children's story 'The Story of A Tree' by Stephen McFarlane, Rolf Brandt, ca.1945 |
| Physical description | Gouache painting on thick paper pasted to brown cardboard support which has residual glue marks etc on back. Image is a row of five virtually leafless trees each with a wooden object/s, stool, chair, ladder, toy train engine and domestic utensils, drawn into the outline of each, as if part of the natural growth. Birds squirrels, a mouse and a snake perch on or fly around them. In the foreground a lizard and rabbit. The sky is yellow with clouds, the earth white, shading through to dark grey/black where it meets the sky. Centred toward top of image in caps the legend: The Story Of A Tree. Tissue cover-sheet attached by sellotape to back along top margin. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Production type | Unique |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'The Story Of A Tree / No 1 (Cover) / R.A.Brandt.'
In purple crayon below this the address: 39 Belsize Pk Gdns NW3 (On the back inscribed in black ink) |
| Gallery label | Rolf A. Brandt (1906-86)
Display 'Into the Woods: Trees in Illustration'; Gallery 102; June 2017 to the end of January 2018
Illustration for the cover to 'The Story of a Tree' by Stephen McFarlane, published by Peter Lunn, 1946
About 1945
Rolf Brandt illustrated a number of children's books in the 1930s and 1940s. In this story we see a tree chopped down, and we are then shown how the wood is used to make all kinds of wooden toys and furniture for children. The image on the cover, with trees growing into the shapes of these things, shows how Surrealism had influenced Brandt's style and his imagination.
Gouache on paper, on card support
Given by the artist's children
Museum no. E.546:1-2005(2016) |
| Credit line | Given by the artist's children |
| Production | This is the design for the cover illustration for the book by Stephen McFarlane. The eight other designs for illustrations are also in the collection. At the time of acquisition the designs were in a paper wrapper labelled with the titles of the nine drawings. It was not clear if these had been assigned by the artist, the publisher or the artist's family |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Literary reference | The Story of A Tree by Stephen McFarlane, published 1945. |
| Summary | Although he trained as an actor, Rolf Brandt enjoyed drawing and making collages. In his native Germany he developed an interest in Dada and Surrealism and in Bauhaus artists such as Paul Klee. He moved to London from Hamburg in the early 1930s with his brother Bill (1904–83), who became famous as a photographer. This is one of nine illustrations that Brandt made for the children’s book The Story of a Tree by Stephen McFarlane. Charting the passage of a tree from forest to sawmill to carpenter’s workshop to toyshop, the images are a charming example of illustration for children at the end of the Second World War. Brandt’s interest in Surrealism is evident in some of the illustrations, especially this cover page, where the trees take on the forms of furniture and toys. |
| Associated objects |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.546:1-2005 |
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| Record created | December 20, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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