The [San Francisco] Cartoon Art Museum hosts Gorey’s Children, an exhibit featuring original artwork and limited edition serigraphs by celebrated author and artist Edward Gorey, on display from February 1 through June 5, 2022.
The Cartoon Art Museum shows an Edward Gorey more sympathetic to children
than most of us are accustomed to.
Author and artist Edward St. John Gorey (1925-2000) was well known for depicting children as victims of trauma and violence in his books, such as The Gashlycrumb Tinies, The Hapless Child, and The Pious Infant, as well as in his fine art prints. However, there are numerous instances of his youngsters also enjoying their playtime and innocent adventures, as in his engaging illustrations for the Donald or Treehorn stories, The Lavender Leotard, or a special commission drawn for General Motors’ Friends magazine, included in this exhibit.
above: a Gorey illustration on a Friends Magazine page
The images displayed [at the museum], rarely on public view, exemplify Gorey’s wide worldview as well as his aesthetic command. Careful control of his pen, nuanced values of light and shade in his etchings, and moods from scary to gloomy to sunny all contribute to our endless fascination with Gorey’s creativity.