Stockbridge— On Saturday, November 18th, Norman Rockwell Museum opens the first major American retrospective of artist Leo Lionni, a groundbreaking modernist graphic designer and magazine art director who gained worldwide popularity as the writer and illustrator of nearly 40 children’s books in as many years.

Leo Lionni (1910-1999) Cover illustration for Frederick, 1967 (Knopf) Mixed media collage. Courtesy of the Lionni Family © Leo Lionni. All rights reserved.

“Between Worlds: The Art and Design of Leo Lionni” explores the artist’s vision and legacy across three distinct yet interrelated domains: graphic art and design;children’s books; and personal works in various media.

Together with Stephanie Haboush Plunkett, “Between Worlds: The Art and Design of Leo Lionni” is co-curated by author and children’s book historian Leonard S. Marcus, one of the world’s foremost authorities on children’s books, and illustration and design historian Steven Heller, who has written widely on graphic design, illustration, and political art. The Museum is also working closely with Annie Lionni, the artist’s granddaughter, who had a close relationship with her renowned grandfather and administers his art.

Portrait of Leo Lionni (1910-1999), n.d. Photographer unknown.

Reflecting on Lionni’s significance as a children’s book creator, co-curator Leonard S. Marcus said, “Leo Lionni was a philosopher-artist and storyteller who grappled with the question of how self and society can best be brought into proper balance. His beguiling picture books are fertile ground for thoughtful reflection on friendship, selfhood, and community—for children and for adults. It is a pleasure to present this artist and the artform he reimagined and made his own.

The exhibit runs through May 27th at the Norman Rockwell Museum on Glendale Road in Stockbridge. More information can be found online.