STOCKBRIDGE, MASS.- Norman Rockwell Museum presents Tony Sarg: Genius at Play, the first comprehensive exhibition exploring the life, art, and adventures of Tony Sarg (1880-1942), the charismatic illustrator, animator, puppeteer, designer, entrepreneur, and showman who is celebrated as the father of modern puppetry in North America and the originator of the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade balloons, floats, and animated store windows.
On view from June 10 through November 5, 2023, this new exhibition will present original illustrations, marionettes, animations, interactive elements, and ephemera, including stage sets, illustrated books, commercial products, and archival photographs.
Curated by Norman Rockwell Museum Chief Curator Stephanie Haboush Plunkett and guest curator Lenore D. Miller, Curator Emerita of the George Washington University Museum, Tony Sarg: Genius at Play was organized in collaboration with the Nantucket Historical Association (NHA), who holds an extensive collection of Sarg’s original work, gifted by Sarg who was a long-time Nantucket summer resident. The exhibition will be on tour following its debut at NRM, appearing at NHA in 2024.
NORMAN ROCKWELL MUSEUM
The Norman Rockwell Museum illuminates the power of American illustration art to reflect and shape society, and advances the enduring values of kindness, respect, and social equity portrayed by Norman Rockwell. A comprehensive resource relating to Norman Rockwell and the art of illustration, American visual culture, and the role of published imagery in society, the Museum holds the world’s largest and most significant collection of art and archival materials relating to Rockwell’s life and work, while also preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting a growing collection of art by other American illustrators throughout history. The Museum engages diverse audiences through onsite and traveling exhibitions, as well as publications, arts and humanities programs, including the Rockwell Center for American Visual Studies, and comprehensive online resources.
