Jump to content

Dick Bruna

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Randy Kryn (talk | contribs) at 12:58, 18 February 2017 (add italics). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Dick Bruna
Born
Hendrik Magdalenus Bruna

(1927-08-23)August 23, 1927
Utrecht, Netherlands
DiedFebruary 16, 2017(2017-02-16) (aged 89)[1]
Utrecht, Netherlands
NationalityDutch
Known forArtist, graphic designer, illustrator/author of children's books
Notable workMiffy
AwardsGolden Paintbrush

Hendrik Magdalenus Bruna (August 23, 1927 – February 16, 2017)[1] was a Dutch author, artist, illustrator and graphic designer.

Bruna was best known for his children's books which he authored and illustrated, numbering over 200. His most notable creation was Miffy (Nijntje in the original Dutch), a small rabbit drawn with heavy graphic lines, simple shapes and primary colors. Bruna also created stories for characters such as Lottie, Farmer John, and Hettie Hedgehog.

Aside from his prolific catalog of children's books, Bruna also illustrated and designed book covers, posters and promotional materials for his father's publishing company A.W. Bruna and Zoon. His most popular designs graced the covers of the Zwarte Beertjes [nl] series of books. Well known among his designs are those for Simenon's Maigret books, typified by graphic silhouettes of a pipe on various backgrounds.

Biography

Dick Bruna's father, A. W. Bruna, directed the family-owned publishing company Bruna, with his brother Henk Bruna. His father's intentions were for Bruna to follow in his footsteps, but Bruna had different plans and wanted to be an artist. He traveled to London and lived for a while in Paris, where he fell under the influence of Ferdinand Leger, Pablo Picasso, and especially Henri Matisse. Back in the Netherlands he attended the Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten in Amsterdam but soon quit; he said afterwards that he had no talent as a painter and could not draw perspective.[2]

In 1955, while on family holiday, he saw a rabbit hopping around and later made attempts to draw it, thereby creating "Nijntje" ("Miffy" in English), the word a Dutch child might use for the diminutive "konijntje", "little rabbit".[3]

Bruna illustrated over 2,000 covers and over 100 posters for the family business, A.W. Bruna & Zoon. His most recognized illustrations were for the Zwarte Beertjes (English: little black bears) series of books, including The Saint, James Bond, Simenon, and Shakespeare. In July 2014 he announced his retirement; the rights to the Miffy character will not be sold.[4] In March 2016 he was awarded the Max Velthuijs-prijs.[5]

Bruna died in his sleep in Utrecht on 16 February 2017 at the age of 89.[6]

Bibliography (as children's author)

Jules Maigret sculpture offered to Delfzijl, Netherlands by A.W. Bruna Uitgevers.

Bruna published 120 children's book titles, the last being Queen Miffy in 2007.[7]

Influences

At a young age Bruna started drawing, but was also influenced by artists of other art forms. He drew covers for his school newspaper in Walt Disney style. Later he admired Rembrandt and Van Gogh.

The biggest influence was perhaps Matisse. Dick Bruna's first works were based on collages by the French painter. Bruna has also been noted to have been influenced by the Dutch graphic design movement, De Stijl, in particular the work of architect Gerrit Rietveld.[8]

Partial list of biographies and monographs

  • Petit Glam Issue no. 3- Paradise in Pictograms Issue. Petit Glam. 1998. ISBN 4-7713-0329-0.
  • Jansen, Bert (1998). Dick Bruna boekomslagen. Centraal Museum. ISBN 90-73285-71-2.
  • Widdershoven, Thomas; Thomas Widdershoven; Gert Staal (1998). boris en de paraplu. Centraal Museum. ISBN 90-73285-74-7.
  • Yanagimoto, Koichi (editor) (2004). Zwarte Beertjes- Book Cover Designs by Dick Bruna. Glyph. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  • Linders, Joke; Joke Linders; Koosje Sierman; Ivo de Wijs; Truusje Vrooland-Löb (2006). Dick Bruna (English Edition). Waanders Publisher, Zwolle/Mercis Publishing, Amsterdam. ISBN 90-400-8342-8.
  • Reitsma, Ella; Ella Reisma (1989). Kees Nieuwenhuijzen (ed.). Het paradijs in Pictogram (Paradise in Pictograms). Mercis Publishing, Amsterdam.
  • Kohnstamm, Dolph (1991). The eye demands an eye- Reflections about the children's books by Dick Bruna (English ed.). Mercis Publishing, Amsterdam. ISBN 90-73991-03-X.
  • ディック・ブルーナ (2005). ディック・ブルーナ ぼくのこと、ミッフィーのこと (単行本). Kodansha publishers, Ltd. 講談社. ISBN 4-06-212826-8.
  • All About Dick Bruna ディック・ブルーナのすべて (単行本). Kodansha publishers, Ltd. 講談社. 1999–2002. ISBN 4-06-208962-9.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Corder, Mike (17 February 2017). "Dick Bruna, 'spiritual father' of rabbit Miffy, dies at 89". Washington Post. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  2. ^ Witman, Bob (17 February 2017). "Dick Bruna (1927–2017) creëerde met Nijntje een universum waarin geen cynisme of kwaad bestaat". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  3. ^ Cain, Sian (17 February 2017). "Miffy creator Dick Bruna has died aged 89". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  4. ^ Maxime Zech (July 30, 2014). "Nijntje creator Dick Bruna retires". NLTimes. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
  5. ^ "Dick Bruna krijgt de Max Velthuijs-prijs voor zijn hele oeuvre" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Omroep Stichting. March 16, 2016. Retrieved March 18, 2016.
  6. ^ "Tekenaar Dick Bruna (89) overleden" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Omroep Stichting. February 17, 2017. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
  7. ^ Linders, Joke; Joke Linders; Koosje Sierman; Ivo de Wijs; Truusje Vrooland-Löb (2006). Dick Bruna (English Edition). Waanders Publisher, Zwolle/Mercis Publishing, Amsterdam. ISBN 90-400-8342-8.
  8. ^ Allardice, Lisa (February 15, 2006). "Children's and teenager's books (Children's books genre),Books,Culture,Ireland (News),Europe (News)". London: The Guardian UK. pp. 12–27. Retrieved October 26, 2007.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dick_Bruna&oldid=766138206"