A life falling in to place requires a delicate effort. From career to romance to everything in between, as we figure our way through… we learn a thing or two about balance.

Ted Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, understood that life is a continual balancing act. He learned early in his career the importance of keeping the plates spinning, the cups balanced, and the scales tipped just right.

Around the time this painting was created, Ted was in the midst of a transition. He had staked his claim as a successful editorial cartoonist and highly sought-after ad man. That success afforded him more creative freedom then most during the Great Depression and Ted took full advantage.

Ted’s painting appeared in Stage Magazine in 1937 under the headline, The Phantom of the El Morocco. It was a fantastical, surrealist story Ted had written about the dizzying, late-night experiences at the El Morocco. In the painting we see the many links to this famed club and a nod to the culture of the time:

• The zebra striped booths that were the famous visual icon of the club 

• The waiters balancing plates and glasses

• The famous El Morocco maître de with his signature tuxedo (he was both host and gatekeeper into this famed world) 

• And finally the shirtless central figure balancing all of this on his back…

It is unclear if this central character in the artwork is the El Morocco owner John Perona (featured below), or possibly a self-portrait of Ted who was balancing so many things himself at that time. Both men would do anything for those who supported him along the way, figuratively giving “the shirt off their backs,” while each was juggling an exorbitant amount of responsibility.

New York in the late 1930’s was a confluence of many forces – prohibition had ended, the jazz age had given rise to an improvisational culture of music clubs, and in the midst of the Great Depression, the Art Deco movement was hinting at a bold future. Art Deco icons such as The Empire State and Chrysler Buildings were completed at the start of the decade and the Rockefeller Center’s gleaming new complex opened in 1939. 

Amidst all of this was the famed club, The El Morocco. Celebrities of all stature congregated in owner John Perona’s zebra striped booths to drink, dance, and find balance in the midst of challenging economic times. Ted Geisel was there to absorb it all.

We often find ourselves balancing all life has to offer, juggling between our personal and professional lives, between our drive for success and our desire for serenity. The trick, as Ted showed us throughout his life, is to get the balance right:

Advertising Business at a Glance

Here we see a striking similarity to Balance of Trade. This painting was done around the same time, when Ted was transitioning between his advertising work to a future as Dr. Seuss, the children’s book author.

Horton

Elephants appeared throughout Ted’s early paintings, later paving the way for his iconic character, Horton. 

Horton taught us faithfulness and encouraged us to be good listeners, remaining open to even the smallest voices. Trusting in others and listening is key to collaboration, a balanced choreography laid out across the Balance of Trade 

Yertle The Turtle

In 1950, Ted revisits the idea of balancing in his now famous book, Yertle The Turtle and Other Stories. 

The stacked turtles in Turtle Tower and dangling gentlemen in The Balance of Trade demonstrate a similar predicament of balance.

The Cat in the Hat

Look at Me! Look at Me Now! – 1957 was a precarious moment for Ted, where he sat balancing between success or failure as he looked to change the way children learned to read.

Life’s a Great Balancing Act

Through to the end of his life, Ted revisited the idea of finding your balance, including the artwork Life’s a Great Balancing Act.

This important image can be found in his final book, Oh The Places You’ll Go. 

RELATED WORKS

Ted’s Deco Era paintings are some of the most sought after in the Art of Dr. Seuss Collection. They nod to the artistic and cultural trademarks of the time, influenced by the world’s bold outlook for the future: