Art of Narrative: Grimm's Fairy Tales

Rie Cramer (1887-1977) was a Dutch children's book illustrator. She moved to the Netherlands from Indonesia when she was nine years old, and studied at the Art Academy in the Hague. I just discovered her illustrations a few days ago. Fascinated, I am still in the process of researching her life and her work.

I've included fourteen of the twenty-three full page color illustrations here at the Art of Narrative along with the lovely book cover and the plain but informative title page. I'm charmed by these illustrations. They are reminding me of everything from Anne Anderson and Virginia Sterrett to Kay Nielsen, and even Arthur Rackham and Gustaf Tenggren, though they are completely her own.

The complete illustrations for this edition of Grimm's Fairy Tales are available to view in their original context along with each story by clicking the title link. You can also enjoy the illustrations for each chapter heading for stories with full page art and many more, like Haensel and Grethel.

The cover inset illustration is from the story, King Thrushbeard, where Cramer flatters not only the charismatic main characters, but also the little boy servant who is both handsome and winsome. The full page art for this story is included in the body of the book.

My favorite illustrations include the ones for Little Brother and Little Sister, The White Snake, The Six Swans, Rumpelstiltskin, The Elves and the Shoemaker, Snow-White and Rose-Red, The Goose Girl at the Well, Iron John; and especially the little star children from The Seven Swans, and The Gold-Children where the little maiden pledges her heart to the roughshod man.

Click each image for great detail.