Millicent Sowerby facts for kids
Amy Millicent Sowerby (1878–1967) was a talented English artist. She was famous for her beautiful drawings in classic children's books. Some of these include Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and A Child's Garden of Verses. She also created popular postcards and children's books with her sister, Githa Sowerby.
Early Life and Artistic Journey
Millicent Sowerby was born in Gateshead, England, in 1878. Her father, John George Sowerby, was also an artist. Her family had six children, and Millicent was the fourth. They later moved to Sutton Courtenay.
Millicent took some art classes in Newcastle upon Tyne. However, she mostly taught herself how to draw and paint. She first focused on watercolors and landscapes. Later, she was inspired by artists like Thomas Crane and Kate Greenaway. She also loved the Arts and Crafts movement, which focused on handmade items. This led her to create postcards and illustrations for children's books. Her postcard series, "Postcards for the Little Ones," was very popular. Thousands of copies were sold!
Illustrating Classic Stories
Millicent Sowerby was one of the first women to illustrate Lewis Carroll's famous book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The book became available for anyone to publish in the United Kingdom in 1907. That year, many new versions came out, and Millicent's was one of the very first.
Some people thought her drawing of the Mad Hatter's tea party was her best work for Alice. They also liked her use of color in the Father William illustration. However, some critics felt her imagination wasn't strong enough for Alice.
Her artwork for the book Childhood, written by her sister Githa, was much more praised. People said her drawings in that book were "charming." Her illustrations for Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses were also called "excellent." In fact, one review in 1911 said that Millicent Sowerby was like "Kate Greenaway come to life again." Kate Greenaway was another very famous children's illustrator.
Later Life and Legacy
Millicent Sowerby never married. She continued to paint and draw well into her 80s. She passed away in 1967 when she was 89 years old. Her beautiful illustrations continue to be enjoyed by many today.
