A delightful walk in the world of William Steig

So astonishing is the broad range and deep humanity of William Steig's cartoons, 107 of which are now on display at the Brandywine River Museum, that they could have been mistaken momentarily for a batch of very sensitive material suddenly declassified. Instead, they're being celebrated in "Comic Catharsis: A Gift of Cartoons by William Steig."

True, Steig's cartoons and cover designs appeared in the New Yorker magazine for an amazing 70 years, beginning in 1930. After such lengthy exposure - to say nothing of the huge success of his 1990 picture-book character Shrek - does the public need to see more?

Yes, as it turns out. There is plenty here to fascinate and delight.

This Brooklyn-born immigrants' son (1907-2003) was the New Yorker's first cartoonist to submit cartoons with captions; previously, the caption came first and the artist had to draw something to fit. Steig's captions ranged from whole sentences to a single word, and he soon developed a very personal cartoon style based on his learning about various states of mind - depression and anxiety, male/female relationships, competition and jealousy, self-doubt and self-importance. Crucial to this was his association with psychologist William Reich and his theories about regaining self-awareness via daily meditation as therapy to restore optimism and hope.

Recurring themes in this show, curated by Virginia O'Hara, include Steig's parade of self-absorbed city walkers of all kinds, and individuals' odd reactions to public statuary. He aimed to capture innermost thoughts along with outward behavior. A great many arguing people appear, including married couples. (Steig was divorced three times, then happily married for 30 years to his fourth wife, Jeanne, who gave these cartoons to Brandywine.)