ick

Bruna, the Friendliest Maker of Picture in the

No one inin thethe LowLow CountriesCountries cancan claimclaim never to have seen anyany ofof DickDick Bruna's pictures.pictures. Child oror grownup,grownup, everyoneeveryone inin thethe NetherlandsNetherlands andand Flanders is acquainted with his work. DespiteDespite thethe factfact thatthat forfor somesome reasonreason or other his cartoon characters ,miffy, snuffy,snuffy, borisboris && barbarabarbara and and poppy poppy pig pig aren't partpart ofof common common literaryliterary parlance,parlanee, everyevery singlesingle personpers on inin thethe LowLow Countries has, consciously or unconsciously,unconsciously, made eye contactcontact inin somesome way, at some time or other, with one ofof his pictures onon stamps,stamps, postersposters or or pa- pa- perback covers.covers. His children's bookbook characters characters have have gone gone out out into into the the world world — - thethe wholewhole wide world —- although although ofof coursecourse primarily,primarily, for two generations already,already, into into the world of thethe veryvery young.young. FromFrom AmsterdamAmsterdam toto TokyoTokyo theythey gracegrace babybaby cream jars, bibs, tote bags, sweaters,sweaters, cereal bowls,bowls, puzzles,puzzles, boots,boots, rainrain pon-pon- chos, coloured pencils, kids' games,games, towelstowels andand lotslots ofof other other thingsthings forfor chil-chil- dren. Their subtlesubde designdesign lendslends anan extraextra aestheticaesthetic dimensiondimension toto allall thesethese Dick Bruna (1927-). Photo products. They offer children in particular a sensesense ofof recognition,recognition, ofof famil-famil- by Sjaak Ramakers. iarity, because of course whatwhat kidskids seesee firstfirst onon thesethese productsproduets are are their their own own trusty book characters.characters.

Books 'orfor little handshands

Now, who is thisthis internationallyintemationally successfulsuccessful maker of picturepicture books,books, thisthis loveable author andand illustratorillustrator ofof some some ninetyninety little little books books for for the the very very young young (printed in enormous quantities inin thirty-threethirty-three languages)?languages)? Dick Bruna (1927-) waswas bornbom inin ,Utrecht, thethe citycity wherewhere hehe stillstilllives lives and and every momingmorning still bicycles to his studiostudio downtowndowntown toto work.work. AsAs aa youngyoung man he had no desire atat allall toto pursuepursue aa careercareer as as thethe fourth fourth generation generation in in the the well-known family businessbusiness A.W.A.W. BrunaBruna && Son.Son. Instead,Instead, he he be- be- came a graphic designer, withoutwithout anyany realreal academicacademie training,training, and and so so is is aa self- self- taught artist. Since 19471947 hehe hashas designeddesigned somesome twotwo thousandthousand book book covers covers (for thethe Zwarte BeertjesBeertjes series) and lots of posters,posters, forfor which,which, asas anan out-out- standing designer, he has alsoalso receivedreceived aa numbernumber ofof awards. awards. In 1953 BrunaBruna producedproduced his firstfirst children'schildren's book,book, the apple (de appel),

198198 1,250 copies of which were published by the family firm. However, the book was not a success. Only 554 copies had been sold by mid- 1955. Evidently at that time the Netherlands wasn't yet ready for a children's book with such a 'modern' design. But the essence of his later work can already be seen in it. The text is rhymed and the story, about an apple that really wants to have arms and legs in order to see the world, is friendly and sim- ple. The illustrations share the same simplicity that his posters and book covers already had at that time. Only the technique differs slightly from the 44 later books. The early children's book illustrations are still cut-outs round- &(411 ed off by black brushwork. Besides this completely new formal language for children's books, with its flat composition, absence of perspective and daring use of colour - green and blue side by side! - the format was larger and longer than the currently popular Bruna books, which is probably also one of the reasons why his first children's book did not immediately strike a chord with the public. Only after Bruna had seen small children handling their books did he re- alise that his books should have different dimensions, the better to be held by little hands. Since that time he has produced 6 x 6-inch books, typically with twelve illustrations on the right-hand pages. The product, sometimes hardback, is always durable (washabie!) and will survive a great deal of family life.

Primary colours and clever simplification

Right from the start, Bruna's illustrations show an extraordinary feature: From miffy is crying a surprising and idiosyncratic simplicity of form that he consistently uses. (nijntje huilt, 1991). Striking, also, are his black brushed contour lines, the absence of perspec- © Mercis b.v. tive, again, and his use of predominantly primary colours: red, black, blue, From poppy pig goes on yellow, white, green; along with brown, never purple and rarely orange. In holiday (betje big gaat met this, Bruna remains in a certain sense an adherent of painters and vakantie, 1998). © Mercis b.v. a great admirer of Mondrian, among others. He says about his own use of colour: 'Blue is a colour that recedes. It is a cool colour and a colour that moves away from you. Red and green come toward you. They are warm colours because they contain yellow. Blue 1 use wh en I want it to be cold. But when I draw children in a house I give them a red or yellow background because I want them to be warm in there. I have really always tried to limit myselfto those primary colours, De Stijl colours.' Bruna's highly personal use of colours has remained practically un- changed over the years, but their application has become subtler and bold- er. In addition, in many of his books he also makes the best possible use of white, employing it as an exciting 'colour element'. As a self-taught illustrator, he should perhaps be seen as a gifted design- er rather than as a virtuoso draughtsman. The influence of non-representa- tional painting on his work is in fact unmistakable. In his illustrations we can recognise elements characteristic of painters such as Braque and Miró, and particularly the late Matisse; influences he freely acknowledges in inter- views. The design of his characters is always the result of a weIl thought-out process of simplification. Starting off in pencil, he draws much more natu-

199 ralistically andand usesuses greatergreater detail,detail, searchingsearching fromfrom therethere for for what what is is essential essential in the form. Leaving out more andand moremore detaildetail doesdoes not,not, however,however, diminishdiminish the recognition factor. InIn theirtheir deceptivedeceptive simplicity,simplicity, hishis drawingsdrawings givegive thethe impression of having comecome intointo beingbeing effortlessly,effortlessly, asas if,if, forfor instance,instance, the the contours were `merely''merely' accentedaccented withwith felt-tip.feIt-tip. NothingNothing isis fartherfarther fromfrom thethe truth. He cuts, pastes and experiments, withwith poster paintpaint andand brush,brush, initiallyinitiaIly producing at least aa hundredhundred preparatorypreparatory versionsversions forfor a a book book of of twelve twelve pic- pic- tures, and finally arriving atat aa number ofof definitive pictures,pictures, eacheach of of a a uniqueunique economy. His stories always have aa positivepositive focusfocus andand intent.intent. HisHis humanhuman charac-charac- ters —- as as weIl well asas hishis anthropomorphised animal animal characters characters — - havehave bigbig heads heads with little hair set on fat little bodies withwith shortshort armsarms andand legs,legs, attributesattributes they they clearly share with humanhuman andand animalanimal babies.babies. TheseThese attributes attributes are are also also why, why, according to psychologists like Lorenz, they appealappeal toto ourour feelingsfeelings ofof ten- ten- demessderness and our nurturing instinct, as well as possiblypossibly inducing a sense of recognition inin very youngyoung children.children. Bruna's characterscharacters also always look straightstraight at thethe readerreader withwith theirtheir friendly, oval, black eyes.eyes. AccordingAccording toto developmentaldevelopmental psychologistpsychoiogist DolfDolf Kohnstamm, the result of thisthis eye contact isis that itit holds the reader-viewer'sreader-viewer' s attention. Through minimal changeschanges toto mouthmouth andand eyes,eyes, BrunaBruna successfullysuccessfuIly adds expressionexpres sion totothe the faces, sometimessometimes havinghaving aa teartear hanghang dramaticallydramatically un- un- der an eye to suggestsuggest greatgreat sadness.sadness. HeHe suggestssuggests movement movement or or action action in in his his relatively stylised stills through the use ofofhorizontal horizontal `velocity'velocity lines,'lines,' aa tricktrick also often employed by comic strip andand animation artists,artists, andand thereforetherefore easyeasy for children to interpretinterpret asas such.such.

From do you knowknow whywhy I' l' m m Safety and security crying? (weet(weet jijjij waarom ik huil?,huil?, 1997). © Mercis b.v.b.V. Typical of the design of Bruna's booksbooks isis thethe factfact thatthat thethe texttext is is alwaysalways From boris on the mountain printed on thethe left-handleft-hand pagepage in in a a simple simple sans-serif sans-serif bold bold typeface typeface — - withoutwithout (boris op de berg, 1989).1 989). © Mercis b.V.b.v. capitals —- in in little little quatrains quatrains whose second and fourthfourth lineslines rhyme.rhyme. From as early asas thethe mid-sixtiesmid-sixties on,on, notnot onlyonly hashas thethe graphicgraphic structure structure of his illustrationsillustrations become tightertighter andand subtler,subtler, butbut thethe textualtextual sideside ofof his his books has grown asas well.weIl. ConsequentlyConsequently thethe totaltotal harmonyharmony betweenbetween picture picture and text becomes an obvious givengiven inin hishis books.books. The regular rhythm in hishis littlelitde poemspoems makesmakes forfor aa pleasant pleasant cadencecadence when aloud, and itit invitesinvites youngyoung childrenchildren toto fillfill inin thethe last last word word themselves. In his languagelanguage use,use, BrunaBruna remainsremains closeclose toto thethe childrenchildren for for whom he is writing, agedaged roughlyroughly betweenbetween twotwo and and five. five. ResearchResearch in in crech- crech- es andand play-schoolsplay-schools showsshows that that thisthis author-illustrator'sauthor-illustrator's vocabularyvocabulary isis in-in- stinctively well-attuned to thatthat ofof his his youngyoung audience.audience. UndoubtedlyUndoubtedly this this is is also one of the reasons forfor hishis enormousenormous popularitypopularity amongamong pre-schoolpre-school chil- chil- dren. Bruna's subjectssubjects areare usuallyusually simple.simpie. MostMost ofof his his booksbooks areare about about small small events, like a trip to the zoo, aa bicycle ride oror aa birthday party.party. ThereThere are are alsoalso wish-fulfilling fantasy stories, with adventuresadventures thatthat areare warm,warm, staystay closeclose toto home and have satisfyingsatisfying endings. SafetySafety andand securitysecurity areare alwaysalways aa partpart ofof the basic ingredients of his work.work. Only oneone smallsmall sociallysocially criticalcritical soundsound isis to be heard inin the king (de koning, 1962),1962), basedbased onon thethe romanceromance betweenbetween

200200 Dick Dick Bruna, Bruna the, the Friendliest Friendliest Maker Maker of of Picture Picture Books Books in in the the Netherlands Netherlands EdwardEdward VIIIviii of England and the American Mrs Simpson which ledled to his ab- dication.dication. The little king in Bruna'Bruna's s book also takestakes offoff hishis crowncrown soso hehe cancan marrymarry the girl, rosemary. AsAs an author, Bruna is at hishis mostmost daringdaring whenwhen hehe dealsdeals withwith thethe toughtough factsfacts of life in deardear grandmagrandma bunnybunny (lieve(lieve omaoma pluis), a little book about thethe deathdeath ofof miffy's grandma. It isis totallytotally differentdifferent inin tonetone fromfrom allall hishis otherother books. In this one, published in 1996, Bruna describes veryvery clearlyclearly andand withwith distinctdistinct emotion the difficult processprocess ofof saying saying goodbyegoodbye toto aa beloved beloved fami- fami- lyly member,member, and from miffY'smiffy's pointpoint ofof view, view, asas sheshe tellstells whatwh at happenedhappened when when grandma bunny died:

grandma was justjust lying in bed really but it was the last time she would itit was like she was lying there sleeping but she justjust wasn'twasn't breathing like she shouldshould is V Everyone is sad.sado Even grandpa bunny cries ('miffy(`miffy had never seense en himhim crycry // grandpa had nevernever donedone thatthat before').before'). Grandma's coffin arrives ('in(`in which II „sip grandma lay all comfy / itit lookedlooked veryvery prettypretty insideinside // andand seemed seemed really really soft soft roll 11 too'). Everyone cries saying goodbye toto her,her, andand thenthen aa lidlid isis placedplaced onon the the coffin ('now( `now nobody nobody couldcould botherbother herher anyany more // now grandma could restrest quietly'). This emotional book could encourage aa childchild toto ask moremore questions aboutabout the topic of death. A child might alsoalso findfind comfortcomfort inin itit ifif death death hashas enteredentered his or her life. The adult readingreading aloudaloud alsoalso oftenoften experiencesexperiences thisthis publica-publica- tion as a 'book`book of comfort', as the fan mail Bruna received inin responseresponse toto thethe From miffy in thethe tenttent book testifies. ItIt waswasespecially especially for for the the text text of of this this book book that that Bruna, Bruna, the the artist, artist, (nijntje in de tent,tent, 1995).1 995). was awarded the Zilveren GriffelGriffel (Silver Pencil) during the 1997I997 Children's © Mercis b.v.b.v. BookWeek.Book Week. From miffy at thethe gallerygalle ry (nijntje in het museum,museum, 1997).1997). © Mercis b.v. Pictograms and international successsuccess

When we look at thethe outputoutput ofof allall thesethese years,years, wewe areare struckstruck byby thethe factfact thatthat the artistartist notnot onlyonly oftenoften usesuses thethe same same characters, characters, but but also also the the exact exact same same pictures for differentdifferent books.books. WhenWhen snuffysnuffy hashas becomebecome the the basic basic form form for for `dog,''dog,' thethe samesame renditionrendition can bebe usedused forfor dogdog inin anotheranother bookbook asas well.weil. However, colour variationvariation stillstill causescauses thethe existingexisting contourcontour to to undergoundergo cer- cer- tain changes.changes. When Dick BrunaBruna hashas drawndrawn something,something, has has distilleddistilled it it in in his his absolutely absolutely personalpersona! wayway fromfrom thethe realityreality aroundaround us,us, thisthis depictiondepiction ofof a a subject subject or or char- char- acter gains aa kindkind ofof genericgeneric valuevalue thatthat can'tcan't be be improved improved on on any any more. more. It becomesbecomes aa pictogram,pictogram, asas itit were,were, fromfrom aa universal universa! `imagistic 'imagistic world wor!d lan- lan- guage.' HisHis imagesimages areare immediatelyimmediately interpretedinterpreted correctlycorrectly inin aa varietyvariety ofof countries, despitedespite allall thethe differencesdifferences in in culture.culture. It It is is likelylikely that that this this is is why why his his pictogramspictograms havehave beenbeen usedused onon thethe giant giant signposts signposts for for young young beachcombers beachcombers along thethe NorthNorth Sea.Sea. Children everywhere laugh at the samesame jokes inin hishis books.books. HisHis `Bruna'Bruna House,'House,' forfor instance,instance, is is alsoalso immediatelyimmediately recognised recognised by by Japanese Japanese children children as as thethe concept of `house''house' eveneven thoughthough theythey aren'taren't familiar familiar with with houses houses like like this. this.

201 Bruna is, by the way, incredibly popular in Japan. The enormous successsuccess ofof his pictures there has toto dodo nono doubtdoubt withwith aa certaincertain congruence congruence between between his his imagistic language and artistic traditiontradition inin Japan.Japan. AfterAfter all,all, JapaneseJapanese printsprints historically also display strongstrong contourcontour andand thethe subtlesubtle effecteffect ofof a a sober sober and and wellweIl thought-out composition. Dick Bruna not only createscreates tastefultasteful work,work, butbut alsoalso showsshows goodgood tastetaste inin selecting the assignments hehe accepts.accepts. HisHis workwork is is nevernever linked linked to to question- question- able products or dubious, purely commercial projects. In soso doing,doing, hehe has,has, for instance, designed picturespictures andand postersposters forfor a a number number of of idealistic idealistic enter- enter- prises such asas SafeSafe TrafficTraffic inin thethe Netherlands,Netherlands, TheThe Red Red Cross, Cross, the the Dutch Dutch Dairy Board,Board, Unicef, Amnesty International, Terre desdes Hommes,Hommes, sos-sos Children's Villages, the Humane Society and the Ronaid McDonald-Children's Villages, the Humane Society and the Ronald McDonald Children'Children's s Fund.Fund. AA listlist thatthat alsoalso speaksspeaks forfor hishis friendlyfriendly andand positivepositive attitudeattitude toward the world. Surprisingly (and withwith considerableconsiderable success)success) BrunaBruna approachesapproaches adultadult viewers likewise in his paintedpainted posterposter andand logologo messagesmessages usingusing exactlyexactly the the same simplesimp Ie formalformallanguage. language.

Official recognition

At the end ofof thethe 196os1960s criticalcritical notesnotes couldcould frequentlyfrequently bebe heardheard fromfrom thethe ranks of educatorseducators andand librarianslibrarians inin connectionconnection withwith Bruna'sBruna's little little books. books. His work was considered a bitbit tootoo flat,flat, tootoo coolcool andand lackinglacking somewhatsomewhat inin emotion, and itsits contentcontent waswas aa littlelittle onon thethe saccharinesaccharine side. side. Therefore Therefore it it was was only very late in his career asas aa makermaker ofof children's children's books books that that Dick Dick Bruna Bruna received official recognition inin the Netherlands.Netherlands. In 19901990 hehe waswas finallyfinally awarded the highlyhighly covetedcoveted Gouden Penseel (Golden Brush) for thethe illus-illus- trations in his book boris bearbear (boris beer). He had alreadyalready receivedreceived thethe roy-roy- al distinction ofofknighthood knighthood inin thethe OrderOrder ofof Orange Orange NassauNassau inin 1983.1983. InIn 19871987 Bruna, whose pictures have brightened manymany eventsevents inin hishis community,community, waswas awarded the medal of thethe city of UtrechtUtrecht becausebecause hehe hadhad' `brought brought the city to a higherhigher levellevel throughthrough thethe illustriousillustrious powerpower ofof his his imagination' imagination'. . The Soroptimists' ClubClub ofof Utrecht Utrecht alsoalso hadhad aa bronzebronze statuestatue erectederected (made(made byby hishis son, the sculptor Marc Bruna)Bruna) toto honourhonour hishis picturepicture bookbook charactercharacter miffy. miffy. However, the long delay onon thethe partpart ofof adult adult juriesjuries inin awardingawarding the the Gouden Penseel never mattered much toto him.him. AfterAfter all,all, twotwo generationsgenerations of of fans fans all all over the world, children and grown-ups, don'tdon 't worry worry aboutabout prizes. prizes. TheyThey pre- pre- fer to enjoy his unique andand friendlyfriendly littlelittIe picturepicture books!books!

TRUUSJE VROOLAND-LABVROOLAND-LÖB Translated by WandaWanda Boeke.Boeke.

From boris andand barbarabarbara (boris en barbara, 1989).1 989). © Mercis b.v.

2022022 DickDick Bruna. Bruna,Bruna ,the the FriendFriendliestFriendliest est Maker Makerksr ofof PiPicturePicturecture BBooksBooksooks inin thethe NethetlandsNetherlandsNetherlands