Make Way for Ducklings: The Art of Robert McCloskey

In celebration of the 75th anniversary of Make Way for Ducklings (1941), art from the beloved book is at the center of this exhibition, which tracks the career of award-winning children’s book author and illustrator Robert McCloskey (1914–2003). The retrospective presents more than 50 works, drawn primarily from the rich, but rarely exhibited holdings of The May Massee Collection at Emporia State University in Kansas. 

In addition to Make Way for Ducklings, the exhibition includes studies for other books written and illustrated by McCloskey, including Lentil (1940), Homer Price (1943) and Centerburg Tales (1951), which recall his youth in rural Ohio; and his popular Maine tales Blueberries for Sal (1948) and Time of Wonder (1957). One of the exhibition highlights is the miniature bronze model for Nancy Schön’s Make Way for Ducklings sculpture, commissioned for the Boston Public Garden in 1985. 

As well as celebrating McCloskey’s achievements as author-illustrator, the retrospective also reveals his talents as a painter, showcasing a selection of independent work, including prints and watercolors. The recipient of two Caldecott Medals and three Caldecott Honors, McCloskey was a major force in 20th-century picture book art, and this exhibition will provide an opportunity for visitors of all ages to enter the author’s delightful world. “Make Way for Ducklings: The Art of Robert McCloskey” is organized by The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, Massachusetts. 

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website

Whether you go or not, Make Way for McCloskey: A Robert McCloskey Treasury, brings together for the first time, all of his published works--Make Way for Ducklings, Blueberries for Sal, Lentil, Time of Wonder, One Morning in Maine, Burt Dow, Deep-Water Man, Homer Price and Centerburg Tales. With biographical information and photographs, and an introduction by renowned critic Leonard Marcus that outlines McCloskey's career and his unforgettable contribution to children's literature, this collection is an in-depth look at the life and work of an extraordinary children's book legend. (Ages 5-8)