Brehm, Worth

FINE ORIGINAL CHARCOAL SKETCH, A PRELIMINARY DRAWING FOR THE “WHITEWASHING THE FENCE” EPISODE IN THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER

Worth B rehm Image size 17 x 12 inches. , Ca. 1910. Evidently planned for the edition published by Harper & Brothers, 1910. Matted.

A very interesting drawing indeed, showing Tom, in profile, seated on a barrel with other boys standing by, directing one of a series of his chums who, for a consideration, he has allowed to whitewash the fence: “He had a nice, good, idle time all the while--plenty of company--and the fence had three coats of whitewash on it! If he hadn't run out of whitewash he would have bankrupted every boy in the village”. The drawing is a preliminary one--the figure of Tom is well realized, but the others are done in a sketchier manner--evidently for the Harper 1910 edition. This image was subsequently replaced with one showing just Tom and another boy by the fence. A noteworthy drawing, showing how Brehm went about constructing one of his superb illustrations for Twain's classic work

Item #12736       Price: $4,000.00