Schulz never divulged the Peanuts Gang’s exact location—another detail that perhaps he believed was better left to his readers’ imaginations. From the visual clues in the strip of their neighborhood, however, it is safe to assume that the Browns and their friends are safely tucked away in some post-World War II suburban locale. Despite the mystery of the strip’s setting, Schulz does occasionally give a nod to his home town, former home towns, and nearby villages, as in the 1968 series that features Snoopy traveling just down the road from Schulz’s home of Sebastopol, California, to Petaluma to compete in the wrist wrestling championship. Uncover more Schulz history in the 25 Peanuts strips in this exhibition.

Exhibition Information

Pounding and punching are the subjects of this light-hearted look at the fisticuffs in Peanuts. Schulz revealed in a 1967 interview that he “liked the violent action [strips], kids getting bowled over and such things that cartoons were born to do.” Schulz captured the spirit of the fight in 70 original comic strips that depict epic Snoopy vs. Linus blanket battles, “aggravated” sibling rivalry, and the rough and tumble of sometimes-gone-awry sports competitions.

Exhibition Information

Why Beethoven? Charles Schulz said that he chose Beethoven as Schroeder’s favorite composer because
B-words are simply funnier—yet when asked, Schulz replied that Brahms was his favorite composer. Maybe Schulz was remembering when, as a young teenager, he would sit on the porch of best friend Shermy’s home and listen to Shermy’s mother play Beethoven pieces on the piano.

Whatever the impetus, Schulz painstakingly copied musical scores, note by note, for his now-famous Beethoven strips. The music was transcribed with such accuracy that musicians are able to play the pieces directly from the Peanuts strips!

In this exhibition, visitors will be able to view Beethoven-themed strips while listening to the music that Schulz transcribed into his panels. The exhibition will also feature Schulz’s reference books on classical music; personal letters he wrote about his growing appreciation of the genre; original Beethoven manuscripts, scores, and first editions; paintings and a bust of Beethoven; and a fortepiano, the kind that would have been used in the early 19th century.

>> Press release about Schulz's Beethoven: Schroeder's Muse

The exhibition is co-organized by Dr. Bill Meredith of the
Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies, San Jose State University.

Exhibition Information

The exhibit will be mounted at the Center for Beethoven Studies, Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, San Jose State University, from May 1 through July 31, 2009.