Friday’s Library Snapshot … Willy Pogany

Between  1860 and 1930 the illustrator’s art in England and America flourished.During this time artists such as Kate Greenaway, Arthur Rackman, Dulac and Willy Pogany revolutionised the art of children’s book illustration. Their carefully conceived and beautifully executed illustrations that made children’s books appealing to all ages and early editions of their works are highly collectable.

Willy Pogany (born Vilmos Andreas Pogány; 1882-1955) studied at Budapest Technical College; later in Munich and Paris before moving to London aged 23. Here he became a successful book illustrator during the highest peak of the so called Golden Age of book illustration between 1906 and 1915.
Pogany was not a British citizen so when war broke out he emigrated to America.He continued to illustrate many more children’s books which never reached the same ‘production values’ he had enjoyed with the British publishers such as Harrap.
Pogany designed scenery and costumes for the New York Metropolitan Opera House, mural decorations for William Randolph Hearst and other public buildings and galleries.  He lived in Hollywood for a time working on films and painting portraits of the stars before settling in New York where he died in 1955.  

Published by Harrap 1910