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Folk Tale and Fantasy: Modern Scroll Prints in Color by Walter I. Anderson

DATES May 26, 1949 through September 05, 1949
ORGANIZING DEPARTMENT American Art
COLLECTIONS American Art
There are currently no digitized images of this exhibition. If images are needed, contact archives.research@brooklynmuseum.org.
  • May 26, 1949 An exhibition of printed scrolls, illustrating familiar fairy tales and myths, by the Mississippi artist, Walter I. Anderson will open in the Brooklyn Museum’s Print Gallery on Thursday, May 26th and will be current through September 5th.

    The colorful six-foot scrolls are linoleum block prints printed on the reverse side of wallpaper depicting Jack-the-Giant-Killer; Sinbad, the Sailor; Three Billy Goats Gruff; The Pied Piper and many others. The artist himself remarks, “These present attempts are by one who feels very strongly that the alternative to the atomic bomb explosion and the annihilation of humanity would be obtained through art in a series of small explosions (myths and fairy tales) which are so identified with the life of man that they stimulate without destroying life.” Some twenty scrolls are presented, each of which contains rural size figures.

    The artist, Walter I. Anderson, is one of three brothers who operate the Shearwater Pottery at Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Established in 1920, the Shearwater Pottery is nationally known. Walter Anderson, artist and designer in this family firm, when not working in the Pottery itself, executes these huge linoleum scrolls. They show a wide knowledge of art forms, a lively imagination and a vivid sense of color. They are gay and animated subjects presented in a contemporary manner.

    Press preview: May 24th & 25th (10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.)

    Brooklyn Museum Archives. Records of the Department of Public Information. Press releases, 1947 - 1952. 04-06/1949, 057.
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