Chris Van Allsburg (American, b. 1949) Abduction, 1976 Pencil on paper 20-3/4 x 16-1/2 inches (52.7 x 41.9 cm) (image) Signed and dated lower right: C. Van Allsburg 76 PROVENANCE: Private collection; Jeffrey S. Evans and Associates, Harrisonburg, Virginia, October 19, 2024, lot 3085; Acquired by the present owner from the above. A remarkable Renaissance man, Chris Van Allsburg is a writer, producer, and unapparelled draftsman, renowned for iconic stories and illustrations that are considered modern-day classics. Maurice Sendak has gone so far as to call Van Allsburg "the finest technician working in the field of book illustration art." He has won two Caldecott Medals for American picture book illustration, Jumanji (1981) and The Polar Express (1985), both of which he also wrote. For his contribution as a children's illustrator, the artist was a 1986 U.S. nominee for the biennial International Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international recognition for creators of children's books. The present work is the extraordinary cover illustration for his seminal first published book, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi, for which he was also awarded Caldecott Honors. Steven Heller, former art Director of the New York Times Book Review, and recipient of the 2011 National Design Award, said of Van Allsburg during his 2010 induction into The Illustrators Hall of Fame: "According to the artist, the psychological issues raised in [his books] generally reflect concerns and interests that are my own. And yet they are everyone's concerns. Those who have read these books themselves or to their children can use them as a substitution for personal articulation. In each of his books, there is a personal (universal) feeling that is expressed, often more eloquently than we the tongue-tied can express them to our children (or ourselves). Van Allsburg is our interlocutor and interpreter. "Every literary season I look forward to the work of two or three authors. Van Allsburg is one of them (and for a long while he satisfied that desire with a book a year) because his are not really children's books, although they're suited to a child's needs. He agrees. He said that he doesn't think of his books as being so pigeonholed. 'Nonetheless, that does not mean that I am unaware that the largest part of my audience is children, but I do not choose story ideas or draw in a particular style because of that. I'm sensitive to the requirement that a story be told lucidly in language that's not too challenging. I have respect for the youngest members of my audience and as a result do not feel constrained by what some may feel are their limitations.' "I wonder today what might have been if I had commissioned illustrations from Van Allsburg for the Op-Ed. Would this have enhanced or crushed his career as a book author and illustrator? Would he have found his bliss anyway? Would he have conformed to the Op-Ed approach? It was around 30 years later that I asked him to illustrate the holiday issue of The New York Times Book Review, which he did beautifully. By then, however, there was no gamble that Chris Van Allsburg would make fabulous illustrations; it was as sure a thing as shooting fish in a barrel." Created in 1976, Abduction is a rare and early example of Van Allsburg's work, predating his first published book by three years. This piece exemplifies the meticulous and painstaking approach characteristic of the artist. As Van Allsburg reflects: "Back in the 70s, I spent the days in my sculpture studio and in the evenings, drawing, an activity I thought of as a hobby. Abduction is an example of this work. The subject matter's suggestion of a mystery is characteristic of the images I was making then. I knew little about paper at the time. I worked on Reeves BFK, a fine printmaking paper ill-suited for the carbon pencils I was using. The results were satisfactory. But it took forever to achieve, like drawing on Kleenex with a 2H pencil" (Chris Van Allsburg, email message, February 19, 2025). This insight reveals Van Allsburg's early dedication to mastering his craft, even as he navigated the challenges of materials and technique. The enigmatic quality of Abduction foreshadows the narrative depth and imaginative storytelling that would come to define his celebrated career in children's literature. We wish to thank Lisa and Chris Van Allsburg for their gracious assistance in cataloging the present work. HID12401132022 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice