Donald BRUN
(1909 – 1999)
"Humour, sensitivity, tenderness and emotions" are frequently used to describe Donald Brun's posters.
Born in Bale, he trained as an advertising illustrator. From 1933, Donald Brun worked as a freelance graphic designer for several companies including Bata, Bell, Swissair, Persil and Gauloises cigarettes.
Donald Brun rarely works with photo-montage, but almost always designs his posters graphically using pencil, ink and brush on paper. He sometimes composes his poster projects as collages, for example on his posters for the Gauloises cigarettes of 1957 and 1964, where he used a cigarette box to represent the body of the rooster, the French symbol par excellence.
In 1944, he created his famous Persil doll, then his little sister for the telephone company a few years later. Becoming icons of the 50s, these figures are adored by young and old alike.
With very few words, a lot of spirit and colours, Donald Brun gives life to the products of his advertising posters. His anthropomorphic animals become ambassadors of the brand they present and suggest the characteristics of the product itself: the frog and the rain for the waterproof "Tenta waterproof fabrics", the owl symbol of wisdom for "the n°11 informs" or the ox-cook and a tasty meal for "Liebig".
Donald Brun's world is cheerful, his world colourful and his humour timeless.

Schweizer Mustermesse, Basel
1938
CHF 880.–

Persil
1938
CHF 420.–

Wauwil
circa 1940
CHF 1270.–

Persil, Es git nüt bessers als Persil!
1944
CHF 1070.–

Pro Infirmis, Hilft Behinderten
circa 1944
CHF 420.–

Pro Infirmis
1944
CHF 480.–

Das Schaufenster, Gewerbemuseum Basel Ausstellung 1944
1944
CHF 1590.–

Hüttinger
circa 1945
CHF 870.–

Pro Infirmis
circa 1945
CHF 480.–

BKG - Liga, Basler Rabatt-Marke
1945
CHF 460.–

Springtime in Switzerland
1945
CHF 1430.–

Persil es git nüt bessers als
1945
CHF 1170.–

Binacrine, Shampooing
circa 1945
CHF 970.–

Vacanze in Svizzera
1945
CHF 1330.–

Gevaert Film
1946
CHF 1470.–

Helvetia watches, No one goes home without it !
1946
CHF 1150.–

Helvetia watches, take one home for your folks
1946
CHF 850.–

Aronal, Pâte dentifrice vitaminée
1947
CHF 1330.–

Feva, Henkel
1947
CHF 570.–

Persil
1948
CHF 470.–

Persil
1948
CHF 790.–

Vacanze in Svizzera
1949
CHF 970.–

Vacances en Suisse
1949
CHF 1290.–

Materasso Robustas
circa 1950
CHF 370.–

Sauter
circa 1950
CHF 730.–

Rien ne remplace ma laine
circa 1950
CHF 760.–

Messe-Kino, Modevorführungen und Cabaret
circa 1950
CHF 230.–

Matelas Robustas
circa 1950
CHF 490.–

Mettler savon
circa 1950
CHF 2170.–

Tenta, Wasserdichte Stoffe
1950
CHF 790.–

Salubra
circa 1950
CHF 880.–

Dispos comme un oiseau ! Contre-douleurs Dr Wild
circa 1950
CHF 630.–

Téléphonez !
circa 1950
CHF 1090.–

Messe-Kino, Mode-Cabaret, Reklamtheater
circa 1950
CHF 230.–

Bell
circa 1950
CHF 920.–

Telefonare !
circa 1950
CHF 1090.–

Persil, ... natürlich mit Persil gewaschen !
1951
CHF 990.–

Bien sûr, Lavé au Persil
1951
CHF 930.–

Henniez, Allons boire une Henniez lithinée
1951
CHF 1320.–

Bell
1952
CHF 930.–

Binaca, gut gewappnet mit...
1952
CHF 1120.–

Tenta
1953
CHF 930.–

Dalang, Pâtes aux oeufs
1953
CHF 1230.–

Persil
1953
CHF 560.–

PTT Oui sur le trafic postal, confiance!
1953
CHF 490.–

Ulvo, Henkel
1953
CHF 490.–

Indicolor Plakate, 75 Jahre Jacques Bollmann
circa 1954
CHF 490.–

Indicolor Plakate, 75 Jahre Jacques Bollmann AG Zürich
circa 1954
CHF 770.–

Indicolor Plakate, 75 Jahre Jacques Bollmann Zürich
circa 1954
CHF 490.–

Indicolor Plakate, 75 Jahre Jacques Bollmann Zürich
circa 1954
CHF 890.–

Osram égaie la vie
1955
CHF 1170.–

Tuch AG Hemden
1955
CHF 890.–

Maryland Stella Filtra
circa 1955
CHF 690.–

Contra-Schmerz
1955
CHF 460.–

Bell
circa 1955
CHF 600.–

...so erfrischen Rätia Fruchsaftgetränke!
1956
CHF 950.–

Le Gaz, Kocht schnell
1956
CHF 570.–

Cinquantenaire des Automobiles Postales Suisses
1956
Price upon request

Arosa, Graubünden Schweiz, Grisons Suisse
1957
CHF 1160.–

Hillman ...et maintenant une HILLMAN 1957
1957
CHF 750.–

Gauloises
1957
CHF 700.–

Swissair to Japan
1958
CHF 970.–

Genève, Salon International de l'Automobile, 1958
1958
CHF 1300.–

N°163, Etat des routes
1958
CHF 830.–

Tenta
circa 1958
CHF 980.–

Swissair to South America
1958
CHF 990.–

Genève, Salon International de l'Automobile, 1958
1958
CHF 530.–

Swissair to Japan
1958
CHF 1350.–

Salami Negroni
circa 1959
CHF 690.–

Ein Bier mit dir
1959
CHF 860.–

Fiera Svizzera, Basilea
1962
CHF 580.–

Genève, Salon Auto, 1963
1963
CHF 970.–

Salon Auto Genève
1963
CHF 490.–

Gauloises
1964
CHF 730.–

Gauloises
1964
CHF 850.–

Bally
1964
CHF 590.–

SBB, Sonntags billet
1966
CHF 970.–

SBB Familienvergünstigung, 100 Jahre Zoo Basel
1974
CHF 370.–

Basel 100 Jahre Zoo
1974
CHF 560.–

Ormond Filtre
circa 1975
CHF 320.–

Perrier, eau minérale gazeuse naturelle
circa 1980
CHF 790.–