31

Jerry Pinkney

(1939-2021)

The Great Minu, African folk tale complete book, group of 15 illustrations. 1974.

Graphite and watercolor on board.
Unsigned. The group consists of 16 illustration boards, 15 of them with original art and another with the published copyright and title page text paste-ups.

Publication:
The complete group of published interior illustrations by Jerry Pinkney for The Great Minu by Beth P. Wilson (Chicago: Follett Publishing, 1974).
Each: 15 x 20 in. (38.1 x 50.8 cm.)

  • Provenance:
    Private collection, Connecticut.
  • Notes:
    The group consists of 16 illustration boards, 15 of them with Caldecott Medal-winning Pinkney's original art and another with the published copyright and title page text paste-ups.

    The Great Minu, based on a West African folk tale, tells the story of a villager who travels to the city of Accra, Ghana, where he is dazzled by all of the signs of wealth he sees. Every time he asks a bystander who owns the impressive cattle, buildings, ships etc. he sees, they (not understanding his language) answer "Minu" (I don't know). Ultimately, the man learns that the simple pleasures in life are more important than material wealth.

    Jerry Pinkney was an acclaimed American illustrator and author whose work profoundly shaped children's literature. Over a career spanning more than six decades, he illustrated over one hundred books, celebrated for their rich detail, luminous watercolor technique, and deep cultural resonance. Pinkney's illustrations often reimagined classic tales through an African American lens, as seen in works such as "The Lion and the Mouse," which earned him the 2010 Caldecott Medal.
  • Condition:
    Please contact the Specialist for the auction to request a condition report.

    Condition reports and additional images are provided as a courtesy and should be used by you to aid in the formation of your own opinion regarding condition. All material is sold subject to Swann's standard Terms and Conditions of Sale as published in our catalogues and posted on our website, and include the following terms: (1) all property is sold "as-is"; and (2) works cannot be returned on the basis of condition.

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December 4, 2025 12:00 PM EST
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