Cecil Collins (1908-1989) worked both as a painter and designer. He studied at the Plymouth School of art between 1923 and 1927 and the Royal College of Art, London from 1927-1931. In the early 1930s the artist became exposed to the work of artists Picasso (1881-1973) and Klee (1879-1940). In 1936 he participated in the International Surrealist Exhibition, London, before moving away from the movement. The artist returned to his native Devon to teach at Dartington Hall from 1939 to 1943. He believed in art being created through visionary experience and spiritual quest and his works from the 1940s echo the mystical feel of the artists Samuel Palmer (1805-1881) and Odilon Redon (1840-1916).

This sheet contains sketches for the cover of the book The Bridal Tree, by the Scottish poet J. F. Hendry (1912-1986), which Collins was working on in 1946. Along the top, running from left to right of the recto of the sheet, are four designs for the front cover of the book, a fifth is in the bottom right corner of the page. These five sketches show the development of the design for the book cover, the third along in watercolour being more finished. The artist has also made notes to himself in pencil on the contents for the design of the cover in the bottom left corner. The verso of the sheet contains two sketches for a face within a tree. The right hand sketch, made of fine pen and ink lines, develops the basic design on the left of the sheet with notes added by the artist in pencil around the composition.