On December 10, Sotheby’s will auction a rare original artwork by Maurice Sendak, the creator of Where the Wild Things Are. Estimated at $300,000–600,000, the piece was designed for the first New York is Book Country festival in 1979. The 27.5 x 23.5-inch pen, ink, and watercolor artwork depicts one of Sendak’s famous “Wild Things” characters as tall as the Empire State Building, leaning against it while munching an apple and reading Charlotte Brontë’s Villette.
Created for a festival celebrating literature along New York’s Fifth Avenue, the work has become a cultural touchstone. Alongside other iconic artists like Charles Schulz and Keith Haring, Sendak lent his whimsical vision to the event’s promotional materials, though his contribution remains among the most beloved.
The artwork has been in private hands since 1996 and has made notable public appearances, including at a 2013 Society of Illustrators Memorial exhibition honoring Sendak after his death. It was also the cover art for a book published in conjunction with the exhibit.
Sotheby’s specialists believe the work’s combination of large scale, its depiction of an iconic New York building, and its connection to one of the 20th century’s most influential children’s illustrators make it particularly valuable. “This piece encapsulates Sendak’s genius,” noted Ella Hall, Sotheby’s books and manuscripts specialist.
With a Maurice Sendak retrospective currently drawing crowds at the Denver Art Museum, Sotheby’s expects this auction to attract significant attention. Experts speculate the work could set a new auction record for the artist’s original pieces, reflecting the growing demand for Sendak’s legacy in both the art and literary worlds.
The auction will also feature other literary treasures, including a first-edition copy of Charlotte Brontë’s Villette, tying the sale further to the spirit of Sendak’s beloved illustration.
