Wind In The Willows (Jolly Holiday II) JJ Adams

Title: Wind In The Willows

Artist: JJ Adams

Approx Image Size: 30" x 24"

Approx Framed Size: 41" x 35"

Edition Size: 95 + 10AP's

Medium: Signed Limited Edition on Paper

 JJ's HIDDEN GEMS

The Wind in the Willows is one of the most famous English children’s books, one of the most memorable novels about animals, and a classic book about “messing about in boats.” ...and that is exactly what we find going on here,  in this incredible follow up to JJ's popular and now sold out 'Jolly Holiday'. A whole lot of chaos and mischief is transpiring upon the 'Jolly Codger' - an apparent play on the the traditional name for the flags flown to identify a pirate ship about to attack 'Jolly Roger'. The boat might look suspiciously similar to Rosie and Jim's famous narrowboat 'The Ragdoll', but it's clear to see it has now been seized  by a whole host of unusual characters. The first one to mention here would obviously be Mr Churchill himself, peering out of the window - as this just wouldn't be a follow up to Jolly Holiday without him in there giving us all the old 'V for Victory' sign. On  closer inspection of the vessel you'll notice the notorious Captain Hook about to shoot off a canon into the distance and his alligator lurking close by. Captain Pugwash is directing the show at the front of the boat, as the most renowned sailor in all the Disney Kingdom, Donald Duck pokes his head out from a window below deck. The gang from 'Wind in the Willows' also make an appearance in various nooks and crannies around the boat as-well as they are joined by Popeye and Edmund Blackadder (and this might prompt fond memories of hilarious episode from Blackadder II - 'Potatos' when Edmund finds himself buying a ship to impress the Queen... and if you haven't already seen this one then I suggest you do!) You will also recognise Admiral Horatio Nelson riding on the back of the boat and JJ has also included the STS Lord Nelson sailing ship in the distance. This clearly alludes to another earlier JJ work - 'England Expects.. Too Much' released in the summer of last year, that features Nelson's column in Trafalgur Square.  There are some comical additions to Nelson's uniform including a pirate patch and a hook on his right arm to complete his 'pirate style' look - these also happen to be incredibly fitting well for Nelson, as he lost the sight in his right eye during the siege of Calvi in 1794 and had his right arm amputated after it was shot in 1797. Finally, the last part I want to draw your attention to the inscription on the front of the boat that reads: 'H.M.S Cornwall' and the tiny date scribbled on the side '5th of April 1942'... but what does it mean I hear you ask? Well, H.M.S Cornwall was a County-class heavy cruiser of the Kent sub-class built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1920s. The ship was sunk on 5 April by dive bombers from three Japanese aircraft carriers during the Indian Ocean Raid and JJ has paid homage to this little piece of history in this unbelievably wacky and utterly entertaining work of art.