Esphyr Slobodkina (1908-2002) – avant-garde artist, illustrator.
Esther was born in Chelyabinsk, a part of Siberia that, as she later wrote, “can be a wonderful place to spend your early childhood, especially if you are fortunate enough to have parents who can provide you with food, a good home, warm clothes, and lots of joy and fun.”
After the Revolution, the family moved to China, where Esther received an education (including art), and in 1928 the artist emigrated to the United States and entered the National Academy of Design in New York.
Ten years later, Slobodkina met children’s author Margaret Wise Brown, who worked as an editor at the pioneering publishing house of William R. Scott. Brown liked the artist’s original avant-garde works and invited her to illustrate a children’s book. Thus, “The Little Fireman” was born — the first American book with illustrations made using the collage technique. And in 1940, Slobodkina’s famous book “Caps for Sale” was published, which is now considered a modern classic.
In total, Esther Slobodkina published more than twenty books, for many publications she repeatedly re-drew illustrations (including for the legendary “Caps…”). Her works are now considered absolute classics, called the apogee of modernism in children’s illustration. “Parents, children, librarians, and, of course, writers and illustrators of children’s books must be fully aware of their responsibility,” she believed, “because the drawings, plots, and behavior patterns that they convey to children will influence them throughout their lives. These aesthetic impressions, like moral education in early childhood, leave an indelible mark.”
Website | esphyrslobodkina.org
Caps for Sale is a timeless classic beloved by millions…one of the most popular picture books ever published! This picture book is an excellent choice to share at home or in the classroom, as children love chanting along with the naughty monkeys. Children will delight in following the peddler’s efforts […]
