Babes in the Wood
Sir Hubert von Herkomer British, born Germany
Sitter Elsa Herkomer British
Sitter Siegfried Herkomer British
Not on view
Herkomer here represents a boy and girl imagining a perilous journey through a forest, modeling the children on his own daughter and son, Elsa and Siegfried. This proof was made as the artist prepared an etching for the "The Art Journal"– published January 1881. In the latter, the image was accompanied by explanatory text that reads, "The artist's children, playing at a game which is better known in Germany than here, pursue their way through a forest (represented by the old familiar wooden tree on the table) infested with lions, dragons, and other beasts of prey. The affected terror on their faces is delightfully rendered." Born in Bavaria, Herkomer moved to London as a boy and enjoyed considerable success painting oils and watercolors. Later in his career he became an accomplished etcher and mezzotint engraver. He often chose subjects inspired by his German heritage, here evoking a fairy tale similar to ones recorded by the brothers Grimm.
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