Entwurf Titelblatt: Frau Holle

Art Historical Context

Created around 1943, this delicate watercolor by Anny Dollschein serves as a preparatory design for the title page of “Frau Holle,” the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tale. Measuring just 20.9 × 14.7 cm, the small work on paper reflects the intimate scale often used for book illustrations and graphic designs during the mid-twentieth century. Now preserved in the Belvedere Collection in Vienna, it offers a glimpse into the artistic process behind bringing classic stories to new generations. Watercolor was a favored medium for such designs because of its luminous color and fluid lines, allowing artists to create inviting, storybook atmospheres. Produced during the Second World War, the piece also speaks to the continued cultural importance of fairy tales in Austrian and German-speaking regions even amid turbulent times. As a working draft rather than a finished illustration, it reveals the careful planning that went into shaping how readers would first encounter this tale of kindness, diligence, and magical reward.