Coen van Hunnik - Duckling

A particularly charming and finely executed romantic gouache, a freely painted fluffy duckling with refined details and 'soft' natural elements such as the bellflowers (Campanula).
Rare of its kind and quality. It is possibly the original intended for an illustration in a book or something similar.
Signed bottom right with AW and 1959.
The monogram AW (or AWS) stands for Albertus Willem Sijthoff (1829–1913), the founder of AW Sijthoff's Uitgeversmaatschappij (Leiden).

The work is attributed to Coen van Hunnik. He is known for his nostalgic gouaches and illustrations of children's books.
It is unclear what the (original) purpose of this gouache was. Was it a standalone drawing or (originally) intended for a reissue of the American story 'The Stubborn Duckling' by J. Werner? After all, it resembles an illustration from this story.
And it bears Sijthof's monogram. This story has seen many reissues in the Netherlands since the middle of this century.

Condition: In very good condition. The colors are beautifully bright. Related to its age, there is some to be expected slight warping in the paper.
The work is housed in a vintage mat and a nice frame with glass. This is included, but is not part of the work being offered.

Coen van Hunnik (1925-2016)
Coen van Hunnik, also known as "JC van Hunnik", was a Dutch artist and painter. He is known for his nostalgic gouaches and watercolors of typical Dutch landscapes. He also illustrated many children's books.
Johannes Coenraad van Hunnik was born in Rotterdam in 1925 as the fifth child in a family of nine children. He survived the bombing of Rotterdam in May 1940. The family subsequently moved to the Veluwe, and after the war, Coen settled in Amsterdam, where he worked for the Toonder Studios. Together with Phiny Dick, the wife of Marten Toonder, he worked on 'Olle Kapoen', among others.
Van Hunnik started drawing for Mulder & Zoon in Amsterdam in the early 1950s and illustrated many children's books and fairy tales for this publisher.

Van Hunnik was a grandmaster in drawing animals. Images of Van Hunnik's paintings of nostalgic Dutch landscapes are still sold today. They appear on prints, postcards, tiles, plates, bowls, cups, and other items. The artist published his autobiography, 'Toen wij uit Rotterdam verlaten', in 2013.


Galerie Maalderij, art town of Diepenheim
Galerie Maalderij is known for its unique collection of authentic contemporary art. The 60s and 70s feature prominently in this. The selection has been carefully chosen from a wide range of styles and price classes. Art is for everyone! We are therefore pleased to offer this on a broad scale, including at various auctions. You are most welcome to come and view everything we offer at auction at Galerie Maalderij in Diepenheim prior to placing your order or bid, or to inquire about this via email. Check our website. Even if you are not bidding, you are most welcome to come and take a look at our location in Diepenheim. The gallery features a variety of exhibitors and exhibitions, as well as its own surprising national and international gallery collection.
In addition to art, you can also come to us for high-quality collectibles and jewelry. We are open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoon. You can find directions via Google.
Shipping: We are experienced in carefully packing and insuring fragile valuable objects during shipping. Service: We keep you informed about the shipping and delivery process as much as possible and try to handle this quickly for you.