Starry, Starry Night

November 2, 2013 to April 27, 2014
Downstairs Changing Gallery

Under the night sky the Peanuts characters have probed the mysteries of the universe and sought the meaning of life. From Spike surveying the darkened skies of his desert abode, to Charlie Brown wrestling with his anxieties beneath the stars, Starry, Starry Night presents Schulz’s artistry in creating unique and contemplative nighttime vistas. Evening programming for visitors accompanies this special exhibition.

The nighttime sky, so magnificent, mystifying, and awe-inspiring, has held a fascination for artists for centuries and Charles Schulz was no exception. Under the night sky the Peanuts characters have probed the mysteries of the universe and sought the meaning of life. Schulz’s nighttime vistas include some of his most dramatic, beautiful, and evocative comic strips. Schulz created the preponderance of Peanuts’ nocturnal panoramas during the first 25 years of the comic strip—prior to when the art and the content of Peanuts became more abstract. He returned to the theme late in his career with compelling cartoons featuring lonely Spike surveying the crystal clear night skies of his desert home.

Starry, Starry Night, which includes over 40 Peanuts daily and Sunday comic strips, explores Schulz’s unique interpretation of children’s understanding of the stars, planets, and other celestial bodies; investigates a dog’s eye-view of the nighttime sky; and examines the fine artistry of original Peanuts’ nocturnal scenes.

This exhibition is generously sponsored by: