Art Gallery's 'Children's Book Illustrators' reviewed by Maine Sunday Telegram

The UNE Art Gallery's exhibition "Children's Book Illustrators" was reviewed by Daniel Kany in the Maine Sunday Telegram Aug. 7, 2011.

Kany writes that exhibition "is a curatorial coup for director Anne Zill. It is a wonderful, entertaining and surprisingly illuminating show. It is also an important show for the dedicated art audience. Art fans often seem to willfully forget that virtually all of the ambitious art made before the 20th century was directly related to illustration. At the top of the French Academy's official hierarchy of genres were history painting, portraiture and religious painting. In other words, legibility, narrative and recognizable characters were the most important elements of art in European culture for hundreds of years."

He adds that "'Children's Book Illustrators' makes a strong case for rethinking the status of the graphic images we share with our children. Whether you want to take on this kernel of cultural philosophy or have some fun with your kids, this is a great show for everyone who has ever been a child."

The exhibition offers an array of works by some of the best artists in this genre, including Maurice Sendak, Dr. Seuss, Jules Feiffer, Eric Carle, Leonard Baskin, E.B. Lewis, Barbara Cooney and many more through Oct.30th.