The Impact of British Children's Book Illustration of the Victorian Era on American Children's Book Illustration in the 20th & 21st Centuries

Katie Kalupson
Illustration (School of Graduate Studies)

About this Item

Title
The Impact of British Children's Book Illustration of the Victorian Era on American Children's Book Illustration in the 20th & 21st Centuries
Contributor Names
Kalupson, Katie (Author)
Reitschel, Barbara (Thesis advisor)
Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York. Illustration (Degree granting institution)
Date
2023
Degree Information
M.A. Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York 2023
Department: Illustration
Advisor: Barbara Reitschel
Committee member: Brendan Leach
Abstract
Rising rates of literacy, inexpensive yet high-quality printing technology like wood engraving, and changes in distribution helped to popularize children’s books among the emerging middle class in the Victorian Era (England, 1820-1914). As a result, the illustrations in popular children’s books of this era were widespread and influential.
British children’s book illustration of the Victorian era can be recognized by its cross-hatching, color-printing, and the representational quality of clothing, nature, and figures. The illustrated children’s book of Victorian-era Britain, along with wood-engraving technology, immigrated to the United States; similar styles to British Victorian-era children’s book illustration appeared in American children’s book illustrations in the early 1900s. The Caldecott and Newbery awards, created by American publisher Frederick Melcher in 1937, are named after British Victorian-era children’s book illustrators and are still awarded today.
Cultural and technological advancements throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, from civil movements to digital offset printing, had a separate impact on American children’s book illustration resulting in a diverse landscape of style. Despite this diversity, several prominent children’s book illustrators throughout the 20th and 21st centuries chose to illustrate in a style evocative of Victorian-era British children’s book illustration.
Through written and visual comparison, this paper will analyze the connection between contemporary American and Victorian children’s book illustration and the children’s book illustration industry, as well as establish a timeline of influence on works and artists throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.
Subject
Illustration of books
British
American
Illustrated children's books
Rights
In Copyright
The copyright for this work is held by its author/creator(s). Usage of this material beyond what is permitted by copyright law must first be cleared with the rights-holder(s). This work has been made available online by the Fashion Institute of Technology Gladys Marcus Library strictly for research and educational purposes. If you are the copyright holder for this work and have any objections to this work being made available online, please notify us immediately at [email protected].
This item must not be sold to any third party vendors.
Identifier
FIT Repository ID: etd_000988
Type
Text
Thesis
Language
English

Citation

Kalupson, K. (2023). The Impact of British Children's Book Illustration of the Victorian Era on American Children's Book Illustration in the 20th & 21st Centuries [Master's thesis, Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York]. FIT Institutional Repository. https://institutionalrepository.fitnyc.edu/item/179249
Kalupson, Katie. The Impact of British Children's Book Illustration of the Victorian Era on American Children's Book Illustration in the 20th & 21st Centuries. 2023. Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, Master's thesis. FIT Digital Repository, https://institutionalrepository.fitnyc.edu/item/179249
Kalupson, Katie. "The Impact of British Children's Book Illustration of the Victorian Era on American Children's Book Illustration in the 20th & 21st Centuries." Master's thesis, Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, 2023. https://institutionalrepository.fitnyc.edu/item/179249