HMH Transfers Historic Archive Illustrations to Regional Museums

The donation involves 16 works gifted to the Eric Carle Museum in Amherst, Massachusetts, and four pieces sent to the Brandywine Museum of Art in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. The Eric Carle collection highlights children's literature, featuring illustrations by Chris Van Allsburg, David Wiesner, and David Wisniewski. One of the Wisniewski pieces recently appeared in the museum's exhibition, Sprites, Spells, and Splashes: Magical Beings in Picture Book Art.

At the Brandywine Museum, the acquisition bolsters a collection centered on the history of American illustration. The museum added works by Howard Pyle, Frank Earle Schoonover, and both Andrew and N.C. Wyeth to its holdings. Jackie Bright, senior director of corporate social responsibility at HMH, noted that the move honors the company’s Boston roots by placing the art in regional institutions. Museum curators, including the Brandywine’s Thomas Padon, emphasized that these pieces represent a significant chapter in the evolution of American visual storytelling.