2020-06-01_The_Artists_Magazine

82 Artists Magazine June 2020

Illustrator and writer Maurice Sendak (1928–2012),

best known for his children’s books, also created

delightful designs for the stage, an aspect of his

work that’s explored in Drawing the Curtain:

Maurice Sendak’s Designs for Opera and Ballet

(DelMonico Books). Author Rachel Federman

(assistant curator of modern and contemporary

drawings at the Morgan Library & Museum) along

with contributing experts from a variety of related

fi elds, explore Sendak’s inspirational interests—from music and movies to comic

strips,mechanicaltoysandpop-upbooks—andhisabilitytowieldtheideashe

gleanedintostory-tellingelements,oftensparkedwithhumor.This208-pagebook

features 125 colorillustrationsofSendak’scardboardmodelsofhissetdesigns,and

hissketchesandfinalwatercolorsofstagedesigns,curtains,costumesandmore.

Independent

Study

Resources to

inspire + build skills

BY HOLLY DAVIS

TWO FOR THE SHOW

Does our exhibition-based article “Degas

at the Opéra” (page 64) have you

hungering for more? Then help yourself

to the exhibition catalog Degas—at the

Opéra (Thames & Hudson). Written by

Henri Loyrette, former director of the

Louvre Museum and former curator and

director of the Musée d’Orsay, with

essays by other leading curators and

scholars, this 320-page feast contains

300 color images revealing the various

on- and off-stage aspects of the Paris

Opéra through Degas’ artwork.

Cover art: Dancers at the Old Opera House

ca 1877; pastel over monotype on laid paper, 8⁹⁄₁ 6 x6¾

NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART, WASHINGTON, AILSA MELLON

BRUCE COLLECTION

Illustrious

Illustrators

The Illustrator: 100 Best From

Around the World (Taschen)

presents “a new golden age of

illustration” as evidenced by the

work of 100 artists across the globe.

Editors Steven Heller, renowned art

director and writer of The New York

Times Visuals column, and art

editor Julius Wiedman, devoted 10

years and more than 600 pages to

their mission to present the

backgrounds, techniques and

stand-out styles of today’s top

designersandillustrators.

Cover art: Design for show curtain

(Nutcracker) (detail) by Maurice Sendak

1983; gouache and graphite pencil on paper

© THE MAURICE SENDAK FOUNDATION; THE MORGAN

LIBRARY & MUSEUM, BEQUEST OF MAURICE SENDAK,

2013.107:262; PHOTO BY JANNY CHIU

Right: Diorama of Moishe scrim and fl ower

proscenium (Where the Wild Things Are)

by Maurice Sendak

1979–1983; watercolor, pen & ink and

graphite pencil on laminated paperboard

© THE MAURICE SENDAK FOUNDATION; THE MORGAN

LIBRARY & MUSEUM, BEQUEST OF MAURICE SENDAK,

2013.103:69, 70, 71; PHOTO BY GRAHAM HABER, 2018

Left: Let Me

Be Myself

(Anne Frank)

by Eduardo

Kobra

2016;

Amsterdam

STUDIO KOBRA

ARCHIVES