Pictured Worlds
Masterpieces of Children's Book Art by 101 Essential Illustrators from Around the World
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- $16.99
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
A lavishly illustrated, large-format reference book highlighting the work of 101 top children’s illustrators
The illustrated children’s book came of age in the 18th century alongside the rising middle-class demand for economic and social advancement. Inspired by philosopher John Locke’s prescient insights into child development, London publisher John Newbery established the first commercial market for illustrated “juveniles” in the West, and the impact of the model he set for books tailored to the interests and capabilities of young readers has spanned the globe, spurring higher literacy rates, cultural enfranchisement, and a better life for generations of children.
In Pictured Worlds, renowned historian Leonard S. Marcus shares his incomparable knowledge of this global cultural phenomenon in the definitive reference work on children’s book illustration. The author of more than 25 award-winning books, Marcus here highlights an international roster of 101 artists of the last 250 years whose touchstone achievements collectively chart the major trends and turning points in the history of children’s book illustration. While some illustrators explored in this lively volume (John Tenniel, Maurice Sendak) have become household names, Marcus’s wide-ranging survey also shines a light on several lesser-known figures whose unique contributions merit a closer look. The result is a sweeping chronicle of a vibrant art form and cultural driver that has touched the lives of literate peoples everywhere. Over 400 illustrations showcase landmark books from Great Britain, the United States, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Sweden, Czech Republic, Russia, Japan, China, Korea, Bulgaria, Argentina, Cameroon, and more.
Each illustrated entry is comprised of an artist’s biography and career overview and a deep-dive look at a pivotal book and its legacy. Featured books include Ivan Bilibin’s The Golden Cockerel, Leo Lionni’s Inch by Inch, Richard Doyle’s In Fairyland, Kveta Pacovská’s One, Five, Many, Helen Oxenbury’s We’re Going On a Bear Hunt, Mitsumasa Anno’s Anno’s Journey, and Zhu Cheng-Liang’s A New Year’s Reunion, as well as the books that introduced such iconic characters as Alice, Max, Struwwelpeter, the Little Prince, and Winnie-the-Pooh. At once a celebration of illustrated children’s books and an essential reference work, Pictured Worlds encapsulates, in the author’s words, “the special nature of the illustrated children’s book as a cultural enterprise that is at once a rewarding art form, a bridge across cultures, and a ladder between generations.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this definitive reference work, children's book historian Marcus (Mr. Lincoln Sits for His Portrait) spotlights 101 influential children's book artists from the past two centuries. An "endlessly surprising art form and a bridge between generations," illustrated children's books exploded in popularity in the late 19th century thanks to rising literacy rates and new printing technologies. The form has seen no shortage of innovation since, Marcus notes. Among the artists surveyed are British illustrator George Cruikshank, who brought his "comedic zest" to depictions of giants and ogres in the 1823 Brothers Grimm's Collection of Popular Stories (its first appearance in English); four-time Caldecott Honor winner Bryan Collier, whose "mesmerizing trademark watercolor" style complemented the "joyful, high-energy rhythm" of Troy Andrews's 2015 Trombone Shorty; and Eric Carle, who was best known for his collage illustrations made from "sumptuous hand-painted paper" as seen in, among other of Carle's classics, 1969's The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Marcus also highlights lesser-known and international artists, such as Japanese illustrator Chihiro Iwasaki and German Binette Schroeder. By delving into myriad artists' styles in language that's reader-friendly without eliding technical detail, Marcus leaves readers to look at the artworks showcased throughout in new ways. Fans of art history and children's literature will adore this.