DIGITAL TOUR: Jerry Pinkney: Imaginings

The Ugly Duckling (1999)

In this emotional retelling of a classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, a duckling who is different from the rest overcomes the cruel treatment of his siblings, cold, and loneliness to find peace and happiness when his true identity as a swan is revealed. Whether depicting the subtle patterns and colors of a duck’s feathers, the murky twilight of a freshwater pond, or the contrast of red berries against dried grasses etched with snow, the artist’s keenly observed watercolors honor nature in all its splendor.