Maurice Sendak

Maurice Sendak passed away today after a long & distinguished career.  His true distinction as an artist may lie in his treatment of childhood as a life phase - not merely of ignorance & innocence but of frightening & nearly intolerable insight into self and world. His half-century life partnership with a psychoanalyst must have reinforced Sendak's readiness to take childhood seriously.

His memories of growing up in Depression-era Brooklyn, among relatives who escaped the Holocaust, but could not escape the enormous loss and grief that it wrought, colored - and even peopled - Sendak's creative work.

1954

The Giant Story By Beatrice Schenk De Regniers illustrated by Maurice Sendak - 1953

The two books pictured above were illustrated by Sendak early in his career, though the idiosyncratic style of his drawn characters is evident, they are crude & simple in comparison with his later work.

In the night kitchen - written & illustrated by Maurice Sendak - 1970

This book tells the story of a boy's adventure in a baker's kitchen; he bakes a cake ready to be eaten for breakfast. 

I'm really Rosie was a collaboration between Sendak and Carole King, they created a movie with an accompanying soundtrack album in 1975.

Zlateh the goat & other stories - Isaac Bashevis Singer with illustrations by Maurice Sendak - 1966.

These seven short stories rich in Yiddish culture & middle European folklore were written by the sole Yiddish writer to be awarded the Nobel prize for Literature (1978).

Where the wild things are - Maurice Sendak - 1963.

We hope that Maurice has come home to find his supper waiting - and that it is still hot.