One of the most acclaimed and beloved illustrators of our time, Eric Carle (b. 1929) is the creator of more than 70 books that combines winsome stories and colorful forms that appeal to young readers and adults alike. On view through February 23, 2020 at the Frist Art Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, “Carle’s Picture Books: Celebrating 50 Years of The Very Hungry Caterpillar” is an exhibition of over 100 original artworks from five decades of Carle’s picture-book career.

 

His signature artistic technique is collage, made by hand-painting many sheets of tissue paper and then cutting, assembling, and gluing the paper onto illustration board. The illustrations span in date from “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?,” Carle’s 1967 collaboration with author Bill Martin Jr., to “The Nonsense Show,” Carle’s playful ode to “Surrealism” published in 2015. Twenty-one other familiar titles are also represented, with a special section devoted to the golden anniversary of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.”

While Carle’s stories are charming, they teach essential lessons, too. As children read about animals, families, and fables, they also learn their colors, letters, and numbers. Added design elements—such as holes, flaps, and sounds—make reading accessible and fun. For half a century, Carle has inspired children to fall in love with books.

More on this show and others at this Tennessee crown jewel: https://fristartmuseum.org.