Denslow, William Wallace

Nearly complete archive of the original artwork and calligraphic manuscript text for "Denslow's Night Before Christmas" [1902]. 58 of 66 original ink drawings, (each approximately 14 3/4 x 11 in.; 375 x 279 mm), on card, mostly signed by Denslow ("DEN" with sea horse device or just with device). Also includes a group of 36 printed proof sheets, mostly hand-colored and extensively annotated by Denslow, various sizes, printed on rectos only. With: a copy of the first edition of Denslow's Night Before Christmas. New York: G.W. Dillingham Co., 1902. 4to (11 1/8 x 8 2/3 in; 283 x 220 mm), original cloth, front cover with mounted illustration.

Comprising:



58 Original Drawings: 21 full-page drawings; 31 sheets containing calligraphic manuscript text with illustrations (one with an unrelated pencil drawing of a child and a cat on verso [p. 38]); 4 sheets containing vignettes only; 1 large double-page drawing on two sheets for front pastedown and free endpaper; 2 vignettes for rear pastedown and endpaper. Lacking drawings for pages 1 (half-title), 13, 15, 22, 23, 27, 60, and 61. Does not include the artwork for cover design (cloth and board issue had differing cover designs). 

36 Printed Proof Sheets: 11 annotated proof sheets (one double-page for front endpapers) printed on rectos only in black or color outline, all but two with hand-coloring (presumbaly by Denslow himself or a colorist at the publishers), and extensively annotated with Denslow's pencil instructions to the printers; 25 unannotated proof sheets printed in black on rectos only.

Metropolitan Books Auction, 25 April 1995, lot 218

Exhibited: Brandywine River Museum, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, March 16-May 19, 1996: "W.W. Denslow: The Other Wizard of Oz"; Track 16 Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, November 28, 1997-January 4, 1998: "When what to my  wondering eyes...Art & Literature Celebrate Christmas."

Douglas G. Green and Michael P. Hearn, W.W. Denslow (1976). See bibliography no. 26 for Denslow's Night Before Christmas; Hearn, Michael, "The Man Behind the Man Behind Oz: W.W. Denslow at 150," AIGA, July 05, 2006; Brandywine River Museum, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, 1996. Exhibition list nos. 25, 27, 69-70.

Light marginal toning on original illustrations.
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The Wizard of Oz illustrator turns his hand to A Night Before Christmas. William Wallace Denslow (1856 – 1915) began his career in Philadelphia at the ripe age of 16. Proving to be a remarkably adaptable designer, Denslow traveled the country working on a variety of projects, from lithographs for country atlases to newspaper, book, and magazine posters during the art poster fad of the late 1890s. Having gained an international reputation, Denslow's work brought him to New York where he made the acquaintance of L. Frank Baum. The two decided to collaborate on a book of children’s nonsense poetry, and in 1899 Father Goose, His Book became the best-selling children’s work of the year. Having struggled to convince any publishing firms to back their first project, the success of Goose allowed Baum and Denslow to get to work on a book of full color illustrations that would become one of their biggest achievements. Since then, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) has become known as the Great American Fairytale.

Although the pair split soon after publication, Denslow continued to illustrate popular children’s books. His next project was illustrating the beloved Clement Clark Moore Poem Twas the Night Before Christmas (originally ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’). Because of the notoriety that came with the publication of Oz, the title of this 1902 edition was entitled Denslow’s Night Before Christmas.  

“In reillustrating (and retitling) Clement C. Moore’s ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas,’ Denslow had a formidable task, for the poem was closely identified with the pictures by the great cartoonist, Thomas Nast…. Once or twice Denslow’s work in his Night Before Christmas is reminiscent of Nast’s drawings, but for the most part he devised his own interpretations of the characters. Denslow’s Santa Claus, in his fur-lined suit and carefully trimmed beard, is more urbane than Nast's conception. Instead of the traditional red, Denslow dressed Santa in a green costume, which contrasts beautifully with the background colors. Much as Nast had done, Denslow included references to other children’s books in his drawings. Nast put pictures from Aesop on the chimney-titles and a copy of Crane’s The Baby’s Opera in Santa’s hand; Denslow was more self-serving and wanted to promote his own books. Peering out of the saint’s sack is a toy Woodman and on the floor smiles a wooden Mother Goose. Santa’s sleigh even sports a goose-head. All of these details are carefully placed, for Denslow was again concerned with the complete design of the book. With its pages filled with an array of comic animals and toys Denslow’s Night Before Christmas is a child’s delight” (Greene/Hearn, p. 109).

Denslow employed his typical technique of sketching all the artwork in black and white, in this instance also hand-lettering the book himself. He then had the printers add the color. The set of original illustrations offered herewith has extensive marginalia and annotated proof sheets, which clearly show how involved Denslow was in the production of his work. The specific instructions on the annotated proofs include notes on printing and color.

A wonderful set of the iconic illustrations for this famous Christmas poem.