Wild Things: The Art of Maurice Sendak at Denver Art Museum

Do you have a favorite children's book illustrator?

Is it someone who brought your favorite childhood stories to life? Or maybe the books you read with your own children? Maybe both. 

For many of us, the art work of Maurice Sendak holds a special place in our hearts. We grew up following Max on his adventures with the wild things that live in his imagination. A story that transcends generations and is beloved by so many since Sendak brought the characters to life in 1963. 

If the art of Maurice Sendak has captured your imagination, just as it has mine, then a visit to Denver Art Museum to check out "Wild Things: The Art of Maurice Sendak" is a must. With over four hundred and fifty pieces of work on display, this exhibit features original sketches, drawings, paintings, book mock ups, set designs, theatrical costumes, final book designs, animation cells, promotional posters, and so much more from Sendak's 65 year career. The exhibit also contains items from Sendak's personal collection of works by artists and illustrators by whom he was inspired.   

Let's take a look...

Before going into Wild Things, I knew that I was going to be in awe of Maurice Sendak's work. I mean, there's a good reason why he's one of the most beloved children's book illustrators of all time. But I must admit that I wasn't aware of the full breadth of his immense talent or the extent of his work. There is so much to see in this exhibition with so much detail in each piece on display. I spent a good two hours exploring the exhibition, but could've happily stayed longer.

The exhibition runs in chronological order for the most part, starting with a little background about Maurice Sendak's early life, growing up in Brooklyn. I say, for the most part, as parts of the exhibition are sorted in other ways. For example, Sendak's first painting, a rendition of Mickey Mouse that he painted as a six year old, appears later in the exhibition along with his collection of Disney memorabilia. Likewise, his paintings of loves ones throughout the years appear at the start of the exhibition where we learn a little about the man behind the art.

Early on in the exhibition visitors are introduced to Sendak's "fantasy sketches". These are a series of quick illustrations that Sendak would draw in sketch books as an exercise in creativity while listening to classical music. Often quite quirky and nonsensical, the sketches provide a little peek into Sendak's imagination and sense of humor. We see the formation of future characters appearing in many of these sketches. 

One of my favorite things about this exhibition was seeing the process behind the design of the book pages. The paste up pieces reminded me of making "books" as a kid. I'd type the words on a my mum's typewriter, cut them out, and glue them onto my drawings. Seeing the exact same process from such an accomplished illustrator was kind of exciting. It also made me think of the literal cut and paste techniques I learned while studying illustration and graphic design at college. Yes, I'm old enough to have studied graphic design when it was still a hands on skill using Xacto knives, rubber cement, and bromide cameras!

Seeing so much of Sendak's work in one place really showcases just how varied his work was over the years. While he definitely had a recognizable style to many of his book illustrations, there are so many pieces on display that I would never have guessed were by the same artist. His work covered such a broad range of styles. 

The highlight of the exhibit is the room dedicated to Sendak's most famous book, Where The Wild Things Are. This part of the exhibition features sketches, book mock ups, final art works, costume and set designs for stage productions, posters, and costumes from the 2009 live action film.  

Many of Sendak's illustrations came to life off the page. As mentioned above, his classic Where The Wild Things Are was recreated in a live action film. Like wise there were theatre productions and animations of many of his stories. Sendak also worked on set and costume design for theatrical productions including The Nutcracker and The Magic Flute.

As well as Sendak's art, the exhibition features a small number of his personal items. Sendak was a huge fan of Walt Disney's work, and it was after watching Fantasia as a child that he set his mind to becoming an illustrator. On display is one of Sendak's first ever paintings; that of Mickey Mouse, painted when he was just six years old. Sendak's collection of Disney memorabilia that held pride of place in his studio is also on display, along with childhood toys that provided inspiration for future characters.

I really liked that the exhibition features a cozy reading area full of Sendak's books. It's a lovely little space to sit down and look through the books after seeing the original illustrations on display. It really brings the pieces of the exhibition all together in a tangible and hands on way.

The exhibition ends, like most exhibitions, with a small gift shop. Here you'll find posters, books, magnets, plush toys and so much more. This gift shop is only accessible through the exhibition, however, all items sold here are also sold in the museum's general gift shop on the ground floor. The general gift shop is accessible without an entry ticket so it's a great place to shop even if you're not actually visiting the museum. 

Ok, now for all the things you need to know about visiting...

Wild Things: The Art of Maurice Sendak is on display at Denver Art Museum through February 17th 2025.

Timed entry tickets are required for this exhibition and can be purchased either online here or in person at the museum. 

Adult tickets are $27 for Colorado residents and $32 for non-residents. 

Youth tickets are $5 for ages 6 to 18.

Children ages 5 and under are admitted free of charge.

Entry to the museum's permanent exhibitions is included. Tickets also include same day entry to the nearby Kirkland Museum (which I'll be sharing next). Please note that due to the delicate nature of many items on display, the Kirkland Museum is limited to ages 13 and up.

Denver Art Museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm (8pm close on Tuesdays).

Denver Art Museum is located at 100 W 14th Ave Pkwy, Denver.

For more information and to book tickets visit www.denverartmuseum.org/.