Marie Hildebrandt / Sibylle van Olfers - Mapje en Papje in het Hazenbos [Jugendstil] - 1906

Rare first edition from 1906, in good condition though with signs of use: small tears on the spine, name in pencil and some spots (see photos for a good impression).

The text is written by the Dutch author Marie Hildebrandt (Alida Marie Hildebrandt, 1881-1947). The iconic illustrations (color lithographs) were created by the renowned German illustrator Sibylle von Olfers (1881-1916).

It is a picture book with a rhymed story. It concerns two small children (Mapje and Papje) who get lost in the forest and are taken in by a family of hares. They learn 'hare manners' and even wear a hare outfit. Eventually their father, who is a hunter, finds them and brings them safely back home.

The illustrations on the cover and inside the book bear clear Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) characteristics, clearly visible in the organic ornaments and floral motifs in the corners.