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Winter Closure

Multiple Danforth campus libraries will be closed and inaccessible to patrons from December 21 until January 2. Read on for more details. 

A section of the watercolor painting titled "On the USS Breckenridge" by the subject of this exhibition, artist James McMullan.
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John M. Olin Library, Level 1, Thomas Gallery

Leaving China: An Artist Paints His World War II Childhood

Leaving China is an exhibition of work by accomplished artist James McMullan that focuses on watercolor paintings about his childhood during World War II. Artist’s materials and artifacts are also included. McMullan’s work is also featured in the Kranzberg Art & Architecture Library where reproductions of his theatre posters are on view in the James McMullan Theatre Posters exhibition.

This exhibition was organized by Dowd Illustration Research Archive Curator Skye Lacerte for WashU Libraries in collaboration with James McMullan.

The watercolor painting depicts a plane flying away from the viewer among snow-capped mountains and a dreary sky done in brows and pinks.
Artist James McMullan’s watercolor painting titled The Flight.
The image shows three paint palettes of different shapes with watercolors of different color families in each. Alongside the paint palettes are a spiral ringed sketch book, a finished watercolor painting, and a painting in-progress with five fine-tipped paint brushes laid atop it.
Artist James McMullan’s watercolor table set up.

Header Image Credit: James McMullan, On the USS Breckenridge, Watercolor