Miska Petersham
Miska Petersham was a Hungarian-born artist and illustrator who made significant contributions to children's literature in the United States during the 20th century. Born on September 20, 1888, in Toeroekszentmiklos, Hungary, he pursued his passion for art at the Royal Art Academy in Budapest before moving to London and eventually to the United States in 1912. Alongside his wife and artistic partner, Maud Fuller, Petersham illustrated over one hundred children's books, beginning with "Enchanted Forest" in 1920. Their collaborative style was notable, as they would work side by side on illustrations.
The couple's work was characterized by a commitment to accuracy and cultural diversity, leading them to travel extensively to gather inspiration and representation from various backgrounds. They produced a range of books, including nonfiction series about everyday objects and stories reflecting different cultures. Petersham's artistic legacy includes the award-winning "The Rooster Crows: A Book of American Rhymes and Jingles," which earned the 1946 Caldecott Medal. Throughout their career, the Petershams were recognized for their innovative techniques and for portraying diverse cultures in their illustrations, contributing to a more inclusive representation in children's literature. Miska Petersham passed away on May 15, 1960.
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Subject Terms
Miska Petersham
Children's Literature Writer
- Born: September 20, 1888
- Birthplace: Toeroekszemtmiklos, Hungary
- Died: May 15, 1960
Biography
Petrezselyem Mikaly was born in Toeroekszentmiklos, near Budapest, Hungary, on September 20, 1888. His father was a blacksmith and carpenter, and the family did not have much money. From his childhood, he loved to draw and paint and he studied art at the Royal Art Academy in Budapest. In 1911 he moved to London, hoping for a career as an artist, but he was unable to earn enough to support himself. He shortened his name to Miska Petersham and moved again in 1912, this time to the United States, where he found work with an advertising agency, International Art Service. There he met another artist, Maud Fuller, who in 1917 became his wife and artistic collaborator for forty years until his death.
The two worked literally side by side, Maud using her left hand to rough out an illustration, and Miska using his right hand to do the finish work. They purchased a home in Woodstock, New York, which gave them room for writing and art studios but kept them near New York City publishers. As a team, the couple illustrated more than one hundred children’s books written by other writers, beginning with William Bowen’s Enchanted Forest (1920). They also did illustrations for children’s magazines, including St. Nicholas and Jack and Jill.
In 1929, they published Miki: The Book of Maud and Miska Petersham, a book written by Maud and illustrated by Miska. Miki was the name of their son, born in 1923, the inspiration for the little boy in the story who travels to Hungary and observes its friendly people and charming customs. Miki was the first of thirty-nine books written and illustrated by the Petershams. Most of the books were nonfiction, including a Story Book series of twenty five books about common objects such as trains, iron, and clothing. Accuracy and diversity were important to them, and they traveled frequently through Europe and the Middle East to see lands that would appear in their books and to find child models of various backgrounds. Broad artistic periods can be observed in the Petershams’ work, beginning with simple children’s tales, followed by more advanced expository books in the 1930’s, patriotic books during World War II, and simple stories for very young children after the birth of their first grandchild in 1949. The Petershams published only five books during the 1950’s, and Miska Petersham died on May 15, 1960.
The Rooster Crows: A Book of American Rhymes and Jingles (1945) won the 1946 Caldecott Medal, and An American ABC was named a 1942 Caldecott Honor book. Although a few of their illustrations came to be considered stereotypical and were subsequently altered, the Petershams were generally recognized for depicting people of many cultures before diversity became a widespread concern. More importantly, their illustrations introduced several technical and artistic innovations from Europe to the United States.