Yours for a Grand: Michael Witte's Eustace Tilley in The Nutcracker

Since its premiere in 1954, George Balanchine's production of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" has been a holiday institution in New York. Spoiler alert: The ballet ends with Marie and the Prince carried off in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer.

Photo: © Paul Kolnik / The New York City Ballet / The George Balanchine Trust

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/the-nutcracker-set-design-secrets

In 1989, illustrator Michael Witte revisited this moment, adding The New Yorker's mascot Eustace Tilley as a third passenger in the sleigh, an excellent vantage point from which to observe through his monocle a butterfly perched on a reindeer antler. The drawing was used as a seasonal spot illustration in the Goings On About Town section of The New Yorker, one of a long series by Witte featuring Eustace Tilley in various situations and settings.

Michael Witte
Original art
The New Yorker, December 11, 1989, p. 8

The original art, unsigned, is available from Sotheby's, who identifies it only as "a Christmas scene," for a fixed price. It is also available from James Cummins, bookseller, no doubt the consignor, also for $1,000.

Michael Witte
Sotheby's listing accessed November 28, 2022

https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/_michael-witte-new-yorker-original-ink-drawing-14e6

James Cummins, bookseller, reveals that the drawing belonged to James H. Heineman. He dates the drawing to circa 1995 and identifies it only as a "Christmas subject."

Michael Witte
James Cummins, bookseller, listing accessed November 28, 2022

https://www.jamescumminsbookseller.com/pages/books/24027/new-yorker-magazine-art-michael-witte/new-yorker-drawing-original-ink-drawing-of-christmas-subject

In the magazine, the 13" x 16" original is reduced to a one-and-a-quarter column width.

Michael Witte
Original art
The New Yorker, December 11, 1989, p. 8

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1989-12-11/flipbook/008/

Note:  Michael Witte pronounces his name Witty while cartoonist Phil Witte, no relation, pronounces his name Wit. (Thanks to Phil Witte for that.)

04153

Maurice Sendak's Nutcracker

Good news! Maurice Sendak's splendidly illustrated version of E. T. A Hoffman's Nutcracker is back in print. This tale of Hoffman was the basis for Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker. It is translated by Ralph Manheim. And I have one beautiful copy of the book to give away!

Here's a blurb from the publisher, Random House, who also graciously supplied the book for this giveaway (now completed) as well as the wonderful images below.

NUTCRACKER, reissued a few months following Sendak’s death and on the 50th anniversary of Where the Wild Things Are, is a lush and beautifully illustrated edition that serves as a wonderful tribute to his life at a time when his legions of fans worldwide are honoring his legacy and ballets are performing their own versions of this timeless classic. Sendak designed brilliant sets and costumes for the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Christmas production of Nutcracker and brought that same extraordinary vision and creativity to the magnificent pictures displayed in this collaboration with eminent translator Ralph Manheim. Called “a classic, new and complete” by the New York Times Book Review, Sendak’s NUTCRACKER (On Sale October 30, 2012) brings to life E.T.A. Hoffmann’s mysterious world with his timeless, haunting, and wildly imaginative illustrations, and this stunning reissue has been published just in time for the holidays.

Maurice Sendak, Nutcracker

Maurice Sendak, The Christmas Tree

Maurice Sendak, The Story of the Hard Nut: Madam Mouserinks in Pirlipat's Cradle

Maurice Sendak, The Story of the Hard Nut:  Madam Mouserinks Expires

Crown Publishing Group's Press Release for Nutcracker

http://crownpublishing.com/news/a-lush-gorgeously-illustrated-reissue-of-nutcracker-is-brought-alive-by-the-wildly-imaginative-drawings-of-maurice-sendak/#.UMKisaUx_0d

Nutcracker: The Motion Picture (1986)

Giveaway Rules:  This contest is open to those with U.S. addresses only. To enter, leave a comment on this post, The contest closes after 11:59 p.m. EST on Tuesday, December 11, 2012. Your comment should reflect something you like about the art of Maurice Sendak, or the book, or the ballet. As always, I reserve the right to delete comments that I deem spammy or crude, and the decision of this judge is final. Only one entry per person, but if you enter and are a follower of this blog, I will award you an additional entry automatically. I will select the one winner at random and announce the winner here, probably on December 12. The winner will then have 24 hours to notify me of a mailing address. After 24 hours, I reserve the right to award the book to another entrant if I don't hear from the winner.

December 12, 2012 Update:  Congratulations to reader Sous-Chef, the winner of this blog's first giveaway.

0540