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From David Hockney’s celebrated Six Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm series, an image from the story of Rapunzel. Captured in this scene is the moment a King’s son comes across the tower and falls in love with her sweet singing, beseeching her: ‘Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Let down your hair to me.’ This print pictures Rapunzel’s tower prison with her cascading hair nearly reaching the forest floor. Hockney’s tight crosshatching enhances the menacing form of the tower, contrasted with the dense, soft grass and the elegant gesture of her hair.
The story of ‘Rapunzel’ begins with a couple who long to have a child. When the wife becomes pregnant, she craves a special plant called rapunzel, which her husband steals from a sorceress’s garden. In exchange for the plant, the sorceress demands their baby. The child is named Rapunzel and is taken to live in a tower by the sorceress, who keeps her there, locking her in. Rapunzel’s hair grows incredibly long and she uses it to let people climb up to her tower.
One day, a prince hears Rapunzel’s singing and finds the tower. He learns how to use her hair to climb up and visits her. The sorceress discovers their plan to elope and punishes Rapunzel by banishing her to the wilderness. The prince, blinded by thorns while searching for Rapunzel, eventually finds her again. Rapunzel’s tears have healing powers, restoring his sight. They reunite and live happily ever after.
The tower had one window (Six Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm) 1969
Etching and aquatint on W S Hodgkinson paper watermarked “DH” and “PP”
Plate 13.2 x 5.9 in / 33.5 x 15 cm
Paper 24.75 x 17.5 in / 62.87 x 44.45 cm
Unique publisher’s copy aside from the edition of 400 books and 100 portfolios
