Dave Pether: Under the Rowan Tree

This is the original cover painting for the novel by Una Thorne published by Piatkus Publishing UK for the hardcover edition, 1995. (I show the published cover for reference) Very rarely did Pether create a cover painting as large as this one; he must have fallen in love with the charming scene he imagined for this novel set in North-east England after WW1. The Rowan Tree, by the way, is known as the Druid's Tree....and since ancient times people have been planting a Rowan beside their home - in Celtic mythology it's known as the Tree of Life and symbolises courage, wisdom and protection. Handpainted in Acrylic and gouache on illustration board , in "wraparound" landscape format, it's 17.25" x 30.25" The art has a label attesting to its authenticity signed by Pether's widow, mounted to the back.