Maurice Sendak (American, 1928-2012). Preliminary Drawing for Max with Four Wild Things Hanging from Tree Branches, 1993...

Description

Maurice Sendak (American, 1928-2012)
Preliminary Drawing for Max with Four Wild Things Hanging from Tree Branches, 1993
Pencil on tracing paper
11-1/2 x 22-1/4 inches (29.2 x 56.5 cm) (sight)
Signed lower right: Maurice Sendak

PROVENANCE:
The artist;
Acquired by the present owner from the above, circa 1997.

LITERATURE:
J.G. Schiller, D.M.V. David, L.S. Marcus, Maurice Sendak: A Celebration of the Artist and His Work, New York, 2013, pp. 207-09, illustrated.

Max with Four Wild Things Hanging from Tree Branches relates directly to one of Maurice Sendak's most ambitious public commissions: the 46-foot mural created for the children's room of the Richland County Public Library in Columbia, South Carolina. Unlike the sequential structure of his books, this mural required Sendak to conceive a continuous, immersive environment-one that could be experienced all at once. The present work serves as the singular compositional foundation for that monumental work.
                                                                      
At left stands Max, crowned and holding his scepter, firmly in his role as king. He is calm, assured, and fully in command-no longer the unruly child, but the ruler who has mastered his imaginative world. Suspended from the branches above are four of Sendak's Wild Things, each drawn from the cast of creatures inspired by his extended family. From left to right, the four beloved monsters illustrated are Moishe, "Lady" (the only female Wild Thing, also known as Tzippy), Bernard, and Emil. Each creature carries a distinct personality, rooted in the exaggerated physical and emotional traits of Sendak's older immigrant relatives, whom he once described as overwhelming, affectionate, and slightly terrifying in equal measure.

What is striking here is the transformation of these figures. Once embodiments of childhood fear, they are now rendered as playful, even obedient companions. Max's authority is unquestioned; the Wild Things hang, wait, and perform within his domain. The scene reads not as confrontation, but as control-one of Sendak's central themes: that the wild and chaotic elements of childhood can be named, understood, and ultimately mastered.

The composition is structured with clarity and purpose. The figures form a horizontal sequence, creating a frieze-like arrangement ideally suited for mural translation. The dense canopy above and foliage below define a contained imaginative space, turning the scene into a self-sufficient world. Sendak's line is economical yet precise, carrying enough information to guide enlargement while preserving the immediacy of the artist's hand.

Murals occupy a rare place within Sendak's oeuvre, requiring him to extend his intimate drawing style into architectural scale. Executed by Michael Hagen (also a collaborator on Sendak theater and opera sets), the final mural translated the present work into a communal experience, bringing Max and the Wild Things into a public setting where they could be encountered daily by generations of children.

As the only known preparatory drawing for this project, this study offers a direct and unfiltered insight into Sendak's creative process. It captures the moment at which character, narrative, and environment converge-where the Wild Things take their place within a world designed not just to be seen, but to be entered.


More information about Maurice Sendak. See also: Sendak, Maurice, Maurice Bernard Sendak Artist.



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