Animals Are Us: Anthropomorphism in Children’s Literature; Celebrating the Peter J. Solomon Collection
Why do we tell stories to children through and about animals? Are there reasons why we shouldn’t? Animals Are Us invites explores these questions and more through influential historic examples of anthropomorphism in dialogue with contemporary books drawn from the collection of Peter J. Solomon (Harvard College Class of 1960, MBA 1963) and the holdings of Houghton Library. The exhibition invites you to engage critically with animal anthropomorphism, and delight in the artfulness of this enduring literary genre. Catalog of an exhibition on view at Houghton Library, Harvard University, September 1, 2021 - January 7, 2022.
Why do we tell stories to children through and about animals? Are there reasons why we shouldn’t? Animals Are Us invites explores these questions and more through influential historic examples of anthropomorphism in dialogue with contemporary books drawn from the collection of Peter J. Solomon (Harvard College Class of 1960, MBA 1963) and the holdings of Houghton Library. The exhibition invites you to engage critically with animal anthropomorphism, and delight in the artfulness of this enduring literary genre.
Catalog of an exhibition on view at Houghton Library, Harvard University, September 1, 2021 - January 7, 2022.
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56<br />
Park Benjam<strong>in</strong> Jr. (American, 1829–1922,<br />
author-illustrator)<br />
“The Revenge of <strong>the</strong> Little Hippopotamus,”<br />
published <strong>in</strong> St. Nicholas Magaz<strong>in</strong>e IV, no. 12<br />
(October 1877)<br />
26 x 18 cm<br />
Houghton Library, AP8.St8628<br />
The Bayard Liv<strong>in</strong>gston Kilgour and Kate Gray<br />
Kilgour fund, <strong>the</strong> James Duncan Phillips Endowment<br />
fund, Books for Houghton fund, and unrestricted<br />
acquisitions funds, 2001<br />
“The Revenge of <strong>the</strong> Little Hippopotamus” comb<strong>in</strong>es<br />
Benjam<strong>in</strong>’s talents as author and illustrator <strong>in</strong> comic<br />
verse to narrate a hippo’s revenge attempt upon a<br />
crocodile. Depicted rear<strong>in</strong>g up on his h<strong>in</strong>d legs—<br />
impossible <strong>in</strong> life—<strong>the</strong> hippo glares with <strong>in</strong>tense rage,<br />
illustrat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> biblical dictum of “an eye for an eye.”<br />
The story appeared <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sa<strong>in</strong>t Nicholas Magaz<strong>in</strong>e,<br />
published by Scribner & Co. debut<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> 1873 as an<br />
<strong>in</strong>novative periodical target<strong>in</strong>g children.<br />
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