This exhibition presents the most extensive public showing ever of original illustration art from American publishing’s best loved and most important picture-book series, Little Golden Books.
Launched in 1942—the first full year of America’s involvement in the Second World War—Little Golden Books made high-quality illustrated books available at affordable prices for the first time to millions of young children and their parents. Among the artists who have contributed to the ambitious series are greats of the European émigré community (including Feodor Rojankovsky and Tibor Gergely); alumni of the Walt Disney Studios (including Gustaf Tenggren, Martin Provensen, J.P. Miller and Mary Blair), who came East for the artistic freedom and control associated with picture-book making; and such American originals as Garth Williams, Eloise Wilkin, Elizabeth Orton Jones, Richard Scarry and Bob Staake.
Fifty-seven masterpieces of original illustration art by these and other artists—chosen from the vast Random House archive—will be featured in the exhibition, including examples from such picture-book classics as Tootle, Home for a Bunny, Five Little Firemen, The Color Kittens and I Can Fly.
Artists Represented
Aurelius Battaglia
Sheilah Beckett
A. Birnbaum
Mary Blair
David Diaz
Gertrude Elliott
Tibor Gergeley
Trina Schart Hyman
Elizabeth Orton Jones
Jack Kent
Hilary Knight
Corinne Malvern
J. P. Miller
Jan Pfloog
Alice and Martin Provensen
Feodor Rojankovsky
Richard Scarry
Bob Staake
Gustaf Tenggren
Leonard Weisgard
Eloise Wilkin
Garth Williams
Dan Yaccarino
Books Represented
The Seven Sneezes
The Happy Man and His Dump Truck
The Great Big Fire Engine Book
Five Little Firemen
Tootle
Scuffy the Tugboat and His Adventures Down the River
Little Red Riding Hood
My Little Golden Book About God
Baby Listens
Little Boy with a Big Horn
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Baby Animals
Home for a Bunny
The Friendly Book
The Giant Golden Book of Elves and Fairies
Mister Dog
There’s No Such Thing as a Dragon
The Animals’ Merry Christmas
I Am a Bunny
Chicken Little
The Rooster Struts
Two Little Gardeners
The Color Kittens
Mr. Noah and His Family
Doctor Dan the Bandage Man
Indian Indian
Pussy Willow
Animal Friends and Neighbors
Animal Stories
A Name for Kitty
The Three Bears
Green Eyes
I Can Fly
Bow Wow! Meow!
Little PeeWee
The Little Red Hen
Tawny Scrawny Lion
The Lion’s Paw
The Red Lemon
Dan Yaccarino’s Mother Goose
The Circus Is Coming
Ocean’s Child
Golden Legacy is organized by the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature, Abilene, Texas.
In Rochester, it is sponsored by the Gallery Council of the Memorial Art Gallery and Nocon & Associates, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Additional support is provided by the Child Care Council, Inc., FULL MEA5URE, Michael & Joanna Grosodonia, and COMIDA.