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The Tree with Animals

Drawing
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 the cover page, where the trees take on the forms of furniture and toys.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • The Tree with Animals (popular title)
  • The Story Of A Tree (series title)
Materials and techniques
Gouache on paper, on card support
Brief description
Drawing, The Tree With Animals, 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 the trunk and lower branches of a pine tree painted in dark green against a pink sky (at top) fading to cream (lower down). The earth from which it grows is dark blue shading to pale blue at the lower margin of picture. Nesting birds, owls and squirrel in the tree; ants marching up the trunk, a woodpecker on the other sid of the trunk. Rabbits, snake, lizard and mouse and todstools on the ground. Tissue cover-sheet attached by sellotape to back alongleft margin.
Dimensions
  • Height: 36.7cm
  • Width: 43.2cm
Painted to edge of sheet
Style
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'The Story Of A Tree / No 2 / R.A.Brandt.' (Inscribed in black ink on the back)
  • '39 Belsize Pk Gdns NW3' (Inscribed in purple crayon below the title, number and artist's name)
  • 'The story of a tree 2.2' (Inscribed in pencil just below the address)
Gallery label
Display 'Into the Woods: Trees in Illustration'; Gallery 102; June 2017 to the end of January 2018 Rolf Brandt (1906-86) Illustration no.2 for 'The Story of a Tree' by Stephen McFarlane, published by Peter Lunn, 1946 About 1945 In this illustration we see the mature tree - probably a pine - just before it is chopped down. Brandt shows the tree as the home to many living creatures - birds nest in the branches, a squirrel eats the nuts (or cones), ants and caterpliiars climb the trunk, and rabbits burrow under the roots. Gouache on paper, on card support Given by the artist's children Museum no. E.546:2-2005(2016)
Credit line
Given by the artist's children
Production
This is the design for the second illustration for the children's book 'The Story Of A Tree' by Stephen McFarlane.( the first is for the cover) The eight other designs for illustrations are also in the collection.At the time of acquisition the designs were in a wrapper labelled with the titles of the nine drawings. It was not clear if these had been assigned by artist, publisher or 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 the cover page, where the trees take on the forms of furniture and toys.
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
E.546:2-2005

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Record createdDecember 22, 2005
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