Bringing the Project Back
During a trip to the Harry Ransom Center located on the campus of the University of Texas, an unassuming Finnegans Wake reading group stumbled upon a collection of pastels created by Elsa de Brun (working under the name Nuala). This collection is titled “A Valentines for James Joyce,” and each one of the pastels is titled with a line or phrase taken from James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake.
Several members of the reading group were so taken with the beautiful artwork done by Elsa de Brun as well as the amazing pairing of her abstract work with the words from Finnegans Wake–which are themselves often considered by many as pretty abstract–that this group decided to work toward bringing her amazing artwork out of the cardboard box in the Harry Ransom Center and into the public eye.
Due to the fragile nature of pastel artwork, the group decided to see about getting photographs of the pastels, pairing them with the quotes from Finnegans Wake, and creating an exhibition and corresponding art book of all the pastels in “A Valentines for James Joyce.”
This website and our Facebook page will post updates as the project progresses. Please follow us in either place as we start on this journey of bringing Elsa de Brun’s work back into the world.
The deBrun family is excited about this project and will provide all assistance available. Brian deBrun.
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To Brian debrun: I am Elsa’s great niece. Her brother, Gustav Dahn, is my maternal grandfather. I recently found articles about Elsa’s work and postcards from her to my grandmother, Martha Dahn. I also have letters from Elsa’s mother to Gustav Dahn. I would love to get in touch with you and to see her work in New York. I live in Cape Cod, MA.
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Hello all w interest in the work and person of Nuala. As her grandson, I was privileged this past year to find a piece of her work on a auction site in Europe. It is a large work called Autumn Mosaic and it featured in many prominent galleries and museums in NYC. I had the framing re done to bring it protection and accentuate the work. I’m happy to have it featured in our dining area as the only original work of hers in my extended family. Brian deBrun. Also yes I’d be interested in meeting in NYC sometime once this corona issue is under control. Thank you and keep me posted.
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Jodi. This is Brian deBrun. I wrote a detailed response for you and attempted to send it but I don’t see evidence of that. Did you receive their response regarding the artwork if Nualas I found and purchased ??
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I have from my grandfather, a pencil piece signed by Nuala (Elsa de Brun). I believe she bartered with him and gave him this piece.
He is no longer alive to ask questions. I would like to know whete I can email an image as a first start to researching it.
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Jill, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to help, but if you want to email a photo to me, I’d be happy to see if I can.
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Elsa was my father’s mother, am very interested in th hus project.
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Elsa de Brun and Patrick Farrell were my next-door neighbors on 81st Street in New York when I was a very little boy (ages 1-3). My parents were very friendly with them and were frequent guests at their parties, and Elsa contributed to my eventual love of modern art by gifting toddler me a book about Jackson Pollock, which was in our home throughout my childhood. I’m happy to have found this page and would love to see more of Elsa’s artwork! Thanks for your efforts.
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Thank you for that wonderful story. It’s beautiful how her love of art lives on and is something you carry within.
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I’ll tell you the rest of the story: In 1965 or so, when I was about two, my mom gave me some paint and a brush and oversaw the creation of my first work on paper, an action painting I apparently called “Mommy!” My proud parents framed it, and showed it to Elsa the next time she visited our apartment.
Some time later, Elsa and Patric were hosting a party, and among the guests was Lee Krasner, Jackson Pollock’s widow, along with other artists and a critic who was opining broadly. Remembering my painting, Elsa snuck over to our apartment, asked if she could borrow it for a bit, then took it back to her party and presented it as the work of a wonderful new artist she’d discovered. We were told later that her guests had oohed and ahhed over my masterpiece – and then of course she sprang the joke that it was the debut work of the toddler next door.
The Pollock book I mentioned in my first post was her thank-you gift to me, for providing a prop for her prank.
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That is a priceless story! Thanks for sharing it.
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Elsa a DeBrun was the first owner of my house in Groton Long Point CT, something I learned doing deed research for a historic house marker. I’m interested in learning more about her.
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Alicia we are developing a detailed family history -most of the work being done by my sister in law Suzzane. We are very surprised at your finding of the deed. We had no idea that it was Elsa’s as we all spent many summers there. By that time Elsa and Olav were divorced. The last time I visited there with my husband the entire site was now divided into several lots – maybe 6. The flagstone patio and stone wall were still there. Can we get a copy of the deed?
Bettie de Brun Cumming
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Brian = cousin! I am Bettie de Brun Cumming, your uncle John’s oldest daughter. I recently posted some info here but made a typo regarding Elsa’s divorce from OJS – the year was 1936. My sister in law is working on an in depth family history. suzzanedebrun@gmail.com
I think you know her.
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Bettie, I would love to connect with you and with your sister-in-law. If you are interested, please send me a message through the Contact form on this site.
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Hello Bettie : This is great news. Thank you for reaching out. Both myself and my brother Harlan (debrunh@emu.edu) would love to be connected to what’s going on. Please keep us in the loop. Great hearing from you. Brian debrun
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