With Moritz von Schwind into the Fairytale Land

With Moritz von Schwind into the Fairytale Land: a book for young people and their friends

Moritz von Schwind (1804-1871) was an Austrian painter and illustrator (check his series of illustrations from Juniper Tree by the Grimm Brothers). He created frescoes as well.



Von Schwind spent most of his adult life in Germany, where he also became a professor and eventually passed away.



We will present his work through the illustrations in the book titled "With Moritz von Schwind into Fairytale Land: A Book for Young People and Their Friends," published in 1908 in Munich.



As the title suggests (and his biography), his work was intertwined with legends, folklore, fairy tales, and poetry.

Contents



List of Illustrations



The Fairy Tale about Seven Ravens



It's another well-known fairy tale by the Grimm Brothers. A father curses his seven sons, and his daughter, their only sister, has to save them. Moritz von Schwind decided to feature the main scenes from the fairy tale in separate panels on a single page. Compare his approach to the illustrations in a picture book by Franz Stassen.

Impression in the Forest



Hermit Leads Horses to Drink



Rubezahl



Rubezahl is a popular figure in German folklore. He is a friendly giant who helps good and well-behaved people, but can also punish bad ones. Folklorists classify him as a mountain spirit, and we can also find him in the Czech and Polish oral tradition.

God's Justice




Morning Hour



Hansel on the Pulpit



It's a children's poem.

Fairy Dance



King Crocus and the Wild Nymph



Puss in Boots



This is another popular fairy tale, but it is of French origin. Brothers Grimm included it in their first edition of Children's and Household Fairy Tales by mistake. Numerous German artists still illustrated this fairy tale, even a century after the Grimms' mistake. Here is an example by Otto Kubel, who created a series of six greeting cards with illustrations from Puss in Boots.

The Neighbor



The Captive Princess



The Rose (The Artist's Journey)



The Hunchbacked Little Man



It's a children's folksong about a girl who tries to do various chores, but a little Hunchbacked always nags her. At last, she wants to say a prayer, and he asks her to pray for him.

The Rose Miracles



The Rose Miracles is a legend about Elizabeth of Hungary, who secretly brought food and clothes to poor folk. Once, she was intercepted, but her interceptors found roses instead of forbidden goodies. Wall pictures in the castle of the Wartburg, presenting Elizabeth of Hungary, were probably the most successful work by von Schwind.

The Mill in the Forest



Aschenputtel Arrives at the Dance



Aschenputtel Tries a Slipper



Achenputtel, of course, is Grimms' version of Cinderella. The luxurious illustrations by Moritz von Schwind are very likely far from what most people expect while looking at Cinderella's illustrations by other artists, but with a bit of curiosity, we can find very different approaches.

Snails



It's a children's nursery rhyme about snails.

Archangel Michael's Feather



According to a legend, the owner of Archangel Michael's feather has the power to heal every wound and possesses immense wisdom. The echoes of such a story are present in several fairy tales, including Brother Lustig and Spirit in the Bottle by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm.

Mister Winter





Mister Winter is Moritz von Schwind's depiction of a folkloric figure representing Winter with coldness and snow. He depicted the figure in various situations for publishing in the magazine Munich Picture Book and Flying Sheets.

Honey-craving Hans



The Farmer and His Son






It's a fairy tale from Eduard Morike's collection, published in 1936. The farmer is dissatisfied with his life on the farm and mistreats animals. His son, on the contrary, is kind. The son's behavior is rewarded, and the farmer decides to improve.

Angel by Erwin von Steinbach



Erwin von Steinbach was a stonemason and master builder. He worked on many churches, and the angel above is one of his creations.

The Erlking



The Erlking is a ballad by Goethe. The title is a wordplay. Erla can be translated as elf but can also mean old. The ballad tells about a father who rides with his son under his coat on a cold night. The son has a vision of the elf king, who invites him into his kingdom. The father tries to console and warm up the son, but the vision is stronger and stronger. Before the father arrives home, the son dies.

The Forest Chapel



This illustration belongs to a story about an ill mother and her good-hearted daughter who lived in the woods.

Meeting a Deer



It's a Must



Rest On the Travel



This is the end of our journey through the book, With Moritz von Schwind into the Fairytale Land: a book for young people and their friends. Share it with your friends!