Gertrud Caspari facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gertrud Caspari
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Grave medallion of Gertrud Caspari
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| Born | March 22, 1873 Chemnitz, Saxony |
| Died | June 7, 1948 (aged 75) Klotzsche, Dresden |
| Occupation | Children's book illustrator and writer |
| Nationality | German |
| Education | Dresden School of Applied Arts |
| Genre | Picture books |
| Years active | 1903-1945 |
| Notable works | Children's Land, You Magic Land In the Animal Nursery Our Child is King |
Gertrud Caspari (born March 22, 1873, died June 7, 1948) was a very important German artist. She drew pictures for many children's books in the early 1900s. People know her for creating a special "Caspari style" of art for young children.
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Early Life and Learning
Gertrud Caspari was born in 1873 in Chemnitz. She was one of five children. Her family moved to Dresden in 1894.
She worked as a governess for a year. Then, she studied at the Dresden School of Applied Arts from 1895 to 1898. She trained there to become a teacher.
In 1897, she became very ill. She had to stay in bed for a long time. During this time, she got the idea for her first children's book.
Her Amazing Career
Her first picture book, The Living Toy, came out in 1903. In 1904, she showed her art at an exhibition in Leipzig. She displayed her designs for wall decorations.
Gertrud often received requests to draw for children's books. She also illustrated school textbooks and songbooks. In 1906, she worked with her brother, Walther Caspari, on a book. It was called Kinderhumor für Auge und Ohr (Children's Humor for Eye and Ear). This book started a long partnership between Gertrud and the publisher Alfred Hahn. A writer named Adolf Holst wrote poems for many of her pictures.
Her brother Walther passed away in 1913. Gertrud then continued her work alone. She moved to Klotzsche, a part of Dresden, where she lived for many years. During a difficult time in Germany, she illustrated educational books for the government. After the war, she faced problems and lost her home. She spent her last years in Lößnitz, living in a difficult situation.
Gertrud Caspari created over 50 of her own children's books. She also illustrated more than 20 books by other writers. She designed postcards, games, calendars, and even porcelain figures. In 1927, she made murals and stained glass windows for a children's home in Jetřichovice. Her drawings of baby animals helped many children learn math in the 1920s.
The "Caspari Style"
Gertrud Caspari is known for creating a "modern toddler style" of art. This is also called the "Caspari style." Her art uses large areas of color, often with simple backgrounds. She used clear lines and bright, warm colors. She also drew scenes from her home region of Saxony.
Gertrud thought carefully about how books felt to children. She chose book sizes and page thicknesses that were easy for kids to handle. Today, her family manages her artwork and rights. Some of her books have been printed again.
Popular Books by Gertrud Caspari
Here are some of her well-known books (titles translated from German):
- The Living Toy (1903)
- Children's Humor for Eye and Ear (1906)
- Children's Land, You Magic Land (1908)
- Our Child is King (1910)
- Caspari Primer (1912)
- What Is That, My Little Child? (1913)
- In the Animal Nursery (1925)
- A Very Merry Arithmetic (1927)
- Come Children! Sing! (1934)
Later Life and Legacy
Gertrud Caspari moved back to Dresden shortly before she passed away. She died on June 7, 1948, after an ear operation. Her grave is in the New Cemetery in Dresden-Klotzsche.
In 1954, a street in Klotzsche, Dresden, was named after Gertrud Caspari. Her old home at Königsbrücker Landstraße 3 is still there. In 1998, a special plaque was placed on the house to remember her. A primary school in the area is also named after Gertrud Caspari.
