Textile, Fairy Tale

Hans Moller was an Associated American Artists favorite whose colorist tendencies translated brilliantly onto his textile designs. Fairy Tale ostensibly depicts several stories, two of which are identifiable as The Bremen Town Musicians and The Tortoise and the Hare, both by the Brothers Grimm.
A cast of friendly animals includes rabbits, roosters, turtles, donkeys, and ducks, drawn in white and balanced atop each others’ backs. The black ground behind them, reminiscent of the night sky, is dotted by crescent moons and stars. This is one of five distinct Moller designs being offered for consideration.
A full skirt made from Fairy Tale was featured in a Signature Fabrics advertisement of an unknown date. (1)
Four distinct designs by Hans Moller are presented within this group. A fifth of his designs, Chain Reaction, is included in the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art’s traveling exhibition, “Art for Every Home: Associated American Artists, 1934-2000.”
(1) Karen J. Herbaugh, “Index of AAA Textile Designs,” in Art for Every Home: An Illustrated Index of Associated American Artists Prints, Ceramics, and Textile Designs (Manhattan: Marianna Kistler Beach Museum, Kansas State University, 2016), http://hdl.handle.net/2097/19686.

Textile, Fairy Tale; Designed by Hans Moller (American, b. Germany, 1905 - 2000); Produced by Associated American Artists (United States); cotton; H x W: 490.2 × 88.9 cm (16 ft. 1 in. × 35 in.); American Textile History Museum Collection; 2016-35-20