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TedGeiselexpressedtohiswifeAudreythathewishedtowaituntilhewasgonebeforeintroducinghisprivateartworkstothepublic.SecretlyTedwantedtoberecognizedasaseriousartistbutopenlyhewasquicktodescribehisprivateworksasx1cmidnightpaintings.x1dFortunatelyforSeussfansandscholarsthatisexactlywhatwasleftbehindwhenhediedin1991.MorethansixtyofTedGeiselx19sx1cmidnightpaintingsx1dwererevealedforthersttimeinhis1995bookTheSecretArtofDr.Seuss.Thesearethewindowstotheworldofanunassuminggenius.ArtisticallytheyembodyamagicalcombinationofthepersonandpersonaofTedGeiselandDr.SeussandinmanywaysarewhatoneimaginestheGoodDoctorwouldcreatelateatnightinhishilltopstudio.Atothertimestheimageryandtitlesstretchwellbeyondallpreconceivednotions.IneithercaseSeussdeliversafeastofvisualstunnersdensewithideas.WhileresearchingTedx19spaintingsandsculptureathisLaJollahomeIbecameawarethatTedandAudreykeptmorethanfortyartworksbehindaconcealedfalsedoorthatwerepubliclyunknownandunpublishedallwaitingforAudreytorevealthemtoTedx19sfans.ThisdiscoverysparkedapassiontouncoverandcatalogotherlostforgottenandhiddenworksfromTedx19spast.SecretsoftheDeeppresentsthesenewndingsalongwithlesser-knownfavoritesthroughanexpandedandreorganizedlookattheartisticlegacyofTheodorSeussGeisel.AlongwiththeunpublishedpaintingsfromtheEstateofDr.SeussseveralworksfromprivatecollectionsarealsopublishedhereforthersttimeincludingXmasChaosThetwointhebushthatthebirdinthehandisworthmorethanandCharlesHendersonx19sConscienceChasingHisSoul.InnowaydoweattempttopresentacatalogueraisonnadauntingendeavorconsideringTedx19salmostseventy-yearcareer.RatherweseektointroduceacompellingmedleyofartworksfromnearlyeveryaspectofTedGeiselx19smultifacetedcareerwithaspotlightonworksthataresignicantinandofthemselvesorartisticallyleadtoorconnectbacktoimportantmilestones.Forthoseunfamiliarwiththe1995bookTheSecretArtofDr.SeussweincludethoseartworksnowreunitedwiththelatestGeiselarchivediscoveriesandpresentthemthematicallythroughouttherstandthirdchapters.MissingfromthisbookisSeussx19sbest-knowncallingcardx14theworkfromhisillustratedchildrenx19sbooks.DespitetheirabsenceyouwillrecognizethefamiliarZeitgeistofhisbelovedcharacterssecretedawaybeneathathinveil.Wedohowevergivespecialattentiontothreelesser-knownbooksTheSevenLadyGodivas1939McElligotx19sPool1947andHappyBirthdayToYou1959.UnlikethemajorityofSeussx19sliteraryworksthesebookspresentfullydevelopedpaintingsoneachpageinplaceoftraditionalpen-and-inkillustrations.Asidefromthesethreechildrenx19sbooksandinkeepingwiththisbookx19ssubtitlex14TheLostForgottenandHiddenWorksofTheodorSeussGeiselx14wefocuslargelyonunknownworksaimingtoidentifythevisualingredientsthatlaterinformnearlyallofTedx19schildrenx19sbooks.IfSeussx19smischievouslygood-humoredbooksandeditorialshintatapuckishimaginationhismidnightpaintingsconrmit.UsinganuncannyvisualwitandpremonitionSeussx19shipnesssomehowrivalsthecoolestpostmodernartonthescenetoday.AschildrenwegrewuponSeussx19splayfulverseandzealousimagination.AsadultswerealizethatTheodorSeussGeiselisnotjustanimportantandinnovative20th-centurypainterbutoneofthefewartistsworkinginanymediumwhoknowshowtomakepeoplehappywhileatthesametimeinspiringthemtothink.TothisdayartworksintheGeiselarchivesarerarelyifevershownoutsidetheEstateofDr.Seuss.ItisonlywiththesupportandvisionofAudreyGeiselthatacollectionofauthorizedEstateEditionsareaccessibleformuseumexhibitionandprivatecollection.TwentyyearsafterTedx19sdeaththeseworkscompleteherpromisetosharehisart.InherintroductiontoTheSecretArtofDr.SeussAudreywritesx1cIremembertellingTedthattherewouldcomeadaywhenmanyofhispaintingswouldbeseenandhewouldthussharewithhisfansanotherfacetofhimselfx14hisprivateself.Thatdayhascome.Iamglad.x1dWeshareAudreyx19senthusiasmandthroughthisforumpresentthebreadthofTedGeiselx19sartisticendeavorssothathemaybeevaluatednotonlyasanauthorbutalsoasanartistinhisownright.PREFACEWilliamW.DreyerCURATORTHEARTOFDR.SEUSS