Americana on Parade: The Art of Robert McCloskey

In celebration of the 75th anniversary of Robert McCloskey’s Make Way for Ducklings (1941), The Carle presents a retrospective highlighting much of the original art from the beloved book. The exhibition considered McCloskey’s entire career as well, ranging from his early publications Lentil (1940), Homer Price (1943), and Centerburg Tales (1951), which recall the artist’s youth in rural Ohio, to the family-based stories set in his adopted home state of Maine, such as Blueberries for Sal (1948) and Time of Wonder (1957). A selection of independent work—watercolors and paintings that connect McCloskey to such prominent American painters as Thomas Hart Benton and Edward Hopper—was also showcased. The recipient of two Caldecott Medals and three Caldecott Honors, McCloskey was a major force in twentieth-century picture book art. 

Support for this exhibition is generously provided by Penguin Young Readers.