Randolph Caldecott

Randolph Caldecott ( born March 22, 1846 in Chester, England; † February 12, 1886 in St. Augustine, Florida United States ) was a British illustrator, painter and sculptor.

Life and work

Chester and Manchester

Randolph Caldecott father John was a businessman, who was married twice and had thirteen children. Randolph was the third child of his first wife, Mary Dinah (nee Brookes ).

Drew Already in his early childhood and carved Caldecott, especially animals and scenes of rural life. After he left school at fifteen, he worked at a bank in Whitchurch near Chester. In his spare time he often walked and rode across the country, he also began to hunt. Many of his drawings deal with these issues. In 1861 he published his first drawing, which was a fire at a local hotel and was published along with an article in the Illustrated London News.

Six years after his recruitment he moved to Manchester, because there was the headquarters of the Bank. At night he attended the Manchester School of Art drawings were published in newspapers and magazines. 1870 Caldecott came together by his friend, the London painter Thomas Armstrong, the editor of the London Society, who published several of his drawings in the monthly magazine.

London

1872 Caldecott announced its place in the London Society and moved to London, where he produced illustrations for various magazines. He entered the Slade School of Art, where he recorded under Edward Poynter painting studies. He also attended the sculpture workshop of Jules Dalou in Chelsea. In London he became friends with many artists such as Dante Gabriel Rossetti, George du Maurier, John Everett Millais and Lord Frederic Leighton.

1876 ​​was one issued by Caldecott images for the first time at the Royal Academy. In 1872 he was admitted to the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours. In 1877 he was asked by Edmund Evans to create some Illustrations for an upcoming children's book. This proved so successful that Caldecott twice per year illustrated more children's books until his death. He also made ​​several trips during which he made drawings with humorous text.

At times Caldecott worked as a freelancer for magazines Punch and The Graphic. In 1879 he moved to near Kemsing, where he later Marian Brind married a year. The marriage remained childless. 1882 the couple moved to after Frensham. In the same year he was elected a full member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours. Caldecott books achieved high sales figures and were internationally popular.

For health reasons, undertook several trips Caldecott. He died before his 40th birthday during a stay in the USA.

In the United States Randolph Caldecott Medal is awarded annually to honor the best illustrated children's books since 1938.