There are many items for sale after which I lust, but none more so than a series of watercolour paintings created by Alfred Bestall for the covers and end-papers of those best-selling, dearly-loved Christmas stocking-fillers, the Rupert Annuals.
Bestall's evocative depiction of Rupert's adventurous realm of magical characters, creatures and happenings are unequaled for their innocent charm, their captured energy and their haunting atmosphere of dreamy other-worldliness.
They possess – or, at least, evoke within me – a sense of yearning, a deep-seated longing for the safe, secure happiness of the days of my youth: when the future still stretched limitlessly before me filled with unquestioned hopefulness...
Should it happen, by some generous quirk of fate, that I were to find myself trousering the Lotto rollover this week, I will be purchasing at least one and possibly several of these gems – if, of course, they haven't all been snapped up!
You can view the exhibition on-line here
12 comments:
Alas, Brian, each and every one of these gems has been sold! I'm not familiar with the Rupert Annuals, but I identify completely with your nostalgia for the hopefulness of youth. And so, apparently, does a collector--I suppose it could be several collectors--with a good eye and deep pockets.
The top of the first watercolor caught my eye before I started reading, and my mind delightedly exclaimed, "Rupert!" Oh how I loved Rupert when I was a child. (My grandmother used to keep me supplied with Rupert books -- not the big annuals, but the little paper cover ones.)
What wonderful memories those pictures bring back. Thank you Brian!
Now, make sure that lotto prize finds its way to you. You could give Rupert such a good home.
docnad – Gone already?!! I was going to pretend that I was the lucky purchaser, but am so disappointed that I wouldn't have been able to have kept up the pretence!
scb/elizabethanne – Is it my imagination or is your name getting longer??
Yes, if Rupert was ever part of your childhood, he is always not far away and ready to recall you, in a twinkling, back to the village of Nutwood and its enchanted environs.
As you will see from docnad's comment, they are all, alas, sold - still, on the bright side, at least I didn't have to choose which one to buy! ;)
What a wonderful range of colours.
So sorry they've already been sold, Brian. Will just have to stick to my original Christmas present for you.
Hope you are bearing up over the news that they are sold - and that you still win the Lottery.
Sharon – It's just as well, if you'd spent £6000+ on me, I would have been seriously embarrassed! ;)
But I love the pictures even in reproduction: they are so TOTALLY 'magical'!
As it happens, I WAS a Lottery winner last night, but I can see for your reply that the £2.80 would't quite have covered the cost, anyway.
Maybe it's just a portent of greater winnings to come! :)
And a squadron of pigs has just rocketed across the sky!
Again??
Brian,
Sadly for me, Rupert always lost out to the more bizarre adventures of Toby Twirl and friends – kings and courts turned to wood by evil warty witches and magpie guards.
Less colourful, but just as exciting for a small boy in a far off land, whose movie experience until the age of seven was ancient pre-war 8mm silent cartoons. Early Mickey Mouse, Betty Boop,and a fantastic Neptune cartoon. Also, of course, Charlie Chaplin. Though I’m a Buster Keaton fanatic – which probably goes to show I always tout for the underdog, I guess.
I also loved Toby Twirl and Tiger Tim & Co (from Rainbow comic) and, my childhood joy was my regular subscription to Mickey Mouse Weekly which I was allowed to have so long as I also read * YAWN * The Children's Newspaper: I kept all my back-issues of MMW for years until my Mum (a forceful woman) made me throw them out – I still haven't quite forgiven her!
There must be someone whose Mum made them chuck out the comic with the very first adventure of Superman. Ouch!
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