SENDAK (Maurice): Sendak in Asia
Tokyo: Maruzen Co; Kingston, NY: Battledore Ltd 1996.ISBN#0-9627110-1-2. With 43 black and white, and 22 color illustrations.Oblong 8vo., [48] pp.; pictorial stiff paper wrappers.

Fine exhibition catalogue
highlighting a myriad of works illustrated and written by this celebrated children’s book writer and artist. The exhibition began in October 1996 at Maruzen Co. Ltd. galleries in Tokyo, Japan, travelling in December to Kyoto and Nagoya and then to Neilson Hays Library in Bangkok, Thailand in January 1997.
Illustrating more than eighty books, Maurice Sendak’s original art is in constant demand by private collectors everywhere. Nearly all of his artwork was archived at the Rosenbach Museum and Library (Philadelphia), and most recently moved to University of Connecticut (Storrs). Past loan exhibits have been presented at the Ashmolean Museum iOxford, England) and The Pierpont Morgan Library (New York), while commercial galleries have offered modest shows with work on loan from the artist.
Significant drawings are rarely ever offered for sale, especially his highly finished pencil studies which precisely detail both concept and development of his designs or alternate visions closely resembling his published pictures but are just a bit different.
This catalogue contains Sendak’s pictures, original prints and posters designs presented for the first time in Asia. Many of these drawings have never been offered for public sale anywhere and are of high quality and importance, covering more than thirty-five years of creativity. These works include actual preliminary studies for many of the artist’s most important books including WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, IN THE NIGHT KITCHEN, OUTSIDE OVER THERE, his early and little-known brilliant version of THE VELVETEEN RABBIT, illustrations from German fairy tales by Brentano and the Brothers Grimm, pictures for theatrical costumes, poster designs, and record jackets, plus his homage to the battle against censorship on behalf of the American Booksellers Association. Twenty-six of the drawings in this catalogue were actually used for publication and represent the largest collection of such pictures ever offered for sale at one time