John Le Carré Original Painting of ‘Rumpelstiltskin.’

LE CARRÉ, John.

$3,200.00

Item Number: 146524

Rare original watercolor painting by British author John le Carré of a scene from the German fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin. Gouache and watercolor painting depicting Rumpelstiltskin incensed that the nearby queen had correctly guessed his name, titled in pencil at the bottom edge “Rumpelstiltskin,” signed by le Carré in the lower right with his given name, “David, ’52.” Framed. Annotated on the rear in an unknown hand, “Painted by David Conwell (better known as John le Carré) given to Anne Simpson, 27th May 1952.” In fine condition. The piece measures 15.5 inches by 13.25 inches.

David John Moore Cornwell, better known by his pen name John le Carré, was a British-Irish author, best known for his espionage novels. During the 1950s and 1960s, he worked for both the Security Service (MI5) and the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). His third novel, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1963), became an international best-seller and remains one of his best-known works. His other books include The Looking Glass War (1965), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1974), Smiley's People (1979), The Little Drummer Girl (1983), The Night Manager (1993), The Tailor of Panama (1996), The Constant Gardener (2001), A Most Wanted Man (2008), and Our Kind of Traitor (2010), all of which have been adapted for film or television.