Caldecott, Randolph (1846-1886), was an English illustrator of children’s books. He became known for his lively scenes of the English countryside and his humorous portrayals of the people who lived there. Caldecott is considered the originator of children’s picture books.
Caldecott was born on March 22, 1846, in Chester, England. He began drawing animals at an early age. He first won fame for illustrating Washington Irving’s Old Christmas (1875). From 1878 to 1886, he produced two picture books a year at Christmas with Edmund Evans, an English engraver and printer. They included An Elegy on the Death of a Mad Dog (1879), Three Jovial Huntsmen (1880), Sing a Song for Sixpence (1880), The Queen of Hearts (1881), The Milkmaid (1882), Hey Diddle Diddle: and Baby Bunting (1882), and A Frog He Would A-Wooing Go (1883). In them, he made bold use of reds and greens. The Caldecott Medal, an annual award for the best picture book of the year, is named for him. Caldecott died on Feb. 12, 1886.
See also Caldecott Medal; Literature for children (The 1800’s).
