Randolph Caldecott Medal
1 appearances
-
Edition 4 (1941) Winner
Robert Lawson
ロバート・ローソン
Robert Lawson
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1892-10-04 （New York City, New York, U.S.）
- Died
- 1957-05-27 （Westport, Connecticut, U.S.） age 64
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Montclair, New Jersey → Westport, Connecticut (home "Rabbit Hill")
Career
- Occupations
- author, illustrator, etcher
- Active Years
- 1914-1957
- Affiliations
- American Camouflage Corps, Society of American Etchers / Society of American Graphic Artists
- Memberships
- Society of American Etchers / Society of American Graphic Artists, American Camouflage Corps
- Influenced By
- Howard Giles (instructor), Jay Hambidge (dynamic symmetry influence)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York School of Fine Arts (Parsons School of Design) | — | — | — | 1911-1914 | United States |
New York School of Fine Arts (Parsons School of Design)
Period:
1911-1914
Year of Graduation:
1914
Country:
United States
Studied under illustrator Howard Giles; influenced by concepts of dynamic symmetry.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | Caldecott Medal | They Were Strong and Good | — | American Library Association (ALA) | 受賞 |
| 1945 | Newbery Medal | Rabbit Hill | — | American Library Association (ALA) | 受賞 |
| 1931 | John Taylor Arms Prize | Etching work (noted pieces) | — | Society of American Etchers / Society of American Graphic Artists | 受賞 |
Caldecott Medal
1941
Work:
They Were Strong and Good
Organization:
American Library Association (ALA)
Result:
受賞
Newbery Medal
1945
Work:
Rabbit Hill
Organization:
American Library Association (ALA)
Result:
受賞
John Taylor Arms Prize
1931
Work:
Etching work (noted pieces)
Organization:
Society of American Etchers / Society of American Graphic Artists
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Newbery Medal (John Newbery Medal)
1 appearances
-
Edition 24 (1945) Winner
Works
Major Works
They Were Strong and Good
1940 Children's book (illustrated)An illustrated celebration of family lineage and everyday virtues, praised for Lawson's illustrations.
familylineagehumor
Rabbit Hill
1944 Children's fiction (animal story)A warm story of community, nature and the interactions between animals and humans set in a rural locale. Newbery Medal winner.
communitynatureempathy
Ben and Me
1939 Children's book (humorous historical)A witty retelling of Benjamin Franklin's life from the perspective of a mouse companion. Later adapted into a Disney short.
reinterpretation of historyanimal perspectivehumor
Adaptations
- [animated short] Ben and Me (Disney short) (1953)
Bibliography
- The Wonderful Adventures of Little Prince Toofat (illustrator, 1922)
- They Were Strong and Good (1940)
- Ben and Me (1939)
- Rabbit Hill (1944)
- I Discover Columbus (1941)
- Mr. Revere and I (1953)
- Captain Kidd's Cat (1956)
- The Great Wheel (1957)
Adaptations
- Ben and Me (1953 Disney short)
- The Story of Ferdinand (illustrated by Lawson) → Ferdinand the Bull (1938 Disney short)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- witty and inventive narrationdetailed pen-and-ink illustrative visual style
- Recurring Motifs
- stories told from an animal's perspectiveportrayal of historical figures through companion viewpointsvalues of home and community
Legacy
Lawson is highly regarded as both an author and illustrator in children's literature and is one of the few to have won both the Caldecott and Newbery Medals. His works and prints are held in major collections such as the Smithsonian and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Westport honors him with the Rabbit Hill Festival.
Museums
- Free Library of Philadelphia (Robert Lawson collection) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
- Smithsonian American Art Museum Washington, D.C., U.S.
- Metropolitan Museum of Art New York City, U.S.
Academic Societies
- Society of American Etchers / Society of American Graphic Artists
Archives
- University of Minnesota (Robert Lawson Papers)
- Free Library of Philadelphia (Robert Lawson collection)
In Popular Culture
- Rabbit Hill Festival of Literature in Westport, Connecticut (since 2001)
Quotes
-
Faulkner recalled that Lawson had a remarkable 'sense of fantasy and humor', which made him especially valuable when the camoufleurs put on musical shows for the children.
Source: Barry Faulkner, Sketches from an Artist’s Life (1973)
Trivia
- One of the few people to have won both the Caldecott Medal and the Newbery Medal.
- His home, 'Rabbit Hill', lent its name to his Newbery-winning book.
- His etchings and original art are held in collections at the Smithsonian, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Free Library of Philadelphia.