Stapel, Gerrit - 1 Original preliminary drawing - uit Koning Arthur - (jaren 1980)

On December 1, 2010, the cultural heritage of Marten Toonder (all the work that Marten Toonder himself created) was officially transferred by the heirs to the Letterkundig Museum Leiden and has since been owned by the Dutch State. In November 2018, the archive of the Marten Toonder Studios was donated to the Literature Museum in The Hague and the Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam. See the last photo. Due to these developments, it is excluded that any original work by Marten Toonder himself or Marten Toonder Studios from this inheritance will be additionally offered on the market beyond the material already circulating.

About the artist
Gerrit Stapel (Amsterdam, May 19, 1921 – Eindhoven, July 18, 2013) was a Dutch comic artist. He became known for the comics and illustrations he created for the Marten Toonder Studio's. He was especially specialized in historical comics, drawn in a realistic style. Stapel began his career as a draftsman in 1942, working for the film company Nederland Film in The Hague, where he joined the animation department. There, he contributed to an anti-Jewish film adaptation of the book Van den vos Reynaerde. In early 1943, he moved to Bavaria Film on Laan van Meerdervoort, where pro-German propaganda films were also produced. After liberation, Stapel briefly worked as a pianist in an Amsterdam nightclub before starting to create political cartoons for Het Parool. In 1949, he made his first comics for Het Vrije Volk. In 1952, he joined the Toonder Studio's, where he would produce comics and illustrations for a long time. In 1955, Stapel anonymously illustrated the booklet Wings over Africa, published by the Missionary Bureau of the Dutch Reformed Church. Besides the many daily strips for Toonder, Gerrit Stapel also spent years creating puzzles for newspapers via the puzzle agency Daane, and he illustrated presentation materials. In 1964, he drew, also outside the Toonder Studio's, a comic about Swiebertje for the women's magazine Prinses. In 2003, Stapel (along with two other laureates) received the Bulletje en Boonestaak Schaal for his entire body of work. In the late 1980s, Stapel published his last major comic, but he continued drawing until about his ninetieth year. He had to stop drawing due to poor eyesight and deteriorating motor skills. Stapel died in 2013 in his hometown of Eindhoven. His work for Marten Toonder Studio's (in the style of Hans G. Kresse) is of an unparalleled class. He approached Kresse. Not surprisingly, Stapel was asked by Kresse to temporarily take over the drawing work of Eric de Noorman for Pum Pum when Kresse was too busy. Kresse thought Stapel's work was excellent and also admired the drawings of Eric that Stapel had drawn.

This lot contains a beautiful, large drawing created by Gerrit Stapel for 'King Arthur.' The drawing is in ink and washed with watercolor. A magnificent painting. Just look at the incredible technique with brush and East Indian ink. This is pure art.

Also see the photos that give an honest representation of what is offered.

This beautiful drawing will be well packed and sent by registered mail to the new owner.