Outside Over There (1981) also features a powerful Sendakian heroine, but the adventure here is more perilous, the style of artwork more inventive. Sendak’s final watercolors feature a subtle color palette evocative of the late 18th century, while the story is full of allusions to Romantic-era painters and musicians. This richly historicized book also tapped into dark memories from Sendak’s childhood and proved to be one of his most labor-intensive books to write and conceptualize.
Brundibar (2003) is the most recent and most collaborative creation of the three books comprising the exhibition. While The Sign on Rosie’s Door and Outside Over There were written and illustrated by Sendak, Brundibar is based on a Czech-language Holocaust-era children’s opera adapted in English by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner and accompanied by Sendak’s illustrations.
Sendak & The Rosenbach
Maurice Sendak chose the Rosenbach Museum & Library to be the repository for his work in the early 1970s thanks to shared literary and collecting interests. His collection of nearly 10,000 works of art, manuscripts, books and ephemera has been the subject of many exhibitions and has been enjoyed by visitors of all ages. One of the most celebrated creators of contemporary children’s books, Maurice Sendak has challenged the norms of children’s literature over time and his work continues to entrance both children and adults to this day. His innovative techniques and honest portrayal of childhood emotion are celebrated worldwide and have earned him many prestigious honors, including the Caldecott Medal (1964), the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal (1970), the National Medal of Arts (1996), a Library of Congress “Living Legend” medal (2000) and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for Literature (2003). The Rosenbach regularly features Maurice Sendak-related exhibitions, programs and events.
Pen to Publisher: The Life of Three Sendak Picture Books is on view through July 15, 2012, at The Rosenbach Museum & Library, 2008-2010 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
Maurice Sendak's papers are at the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection; The University of Southern Mississippi. Click here for digitized items from this collection
Hiding Another Story in a Story: There's A Mystery There; Sendak on Sendak
"That’s the best fun in all of this – the layers of meaning, the layers of storytelling," Sendak said in a 2007 interview. "When you hide another story in a story, that’s the story I am telling the children." From SeniorWomen.com
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