I was thinking about one of my favourite childhood books about a little rapscallion cat named Sneakers (which I’ve just ordered from the US).  I can remember my Mom reading it to me and also the fabulous illustrations.  When I was quite small, I used to leave a carrot out for the Easter bunny.  One year I drew the rabbit from my copy of Sneakers and wrote ‘For the Easter bunny’ beneath it’.

I learned that the illustrator was  French-Mexican artist, Jean Charlot.  He and his widowed mother moved to Mexico in the early 1920′s.  Charlot was muralist Diego Rivera’s assistant and his knowledge of fresco painting  influenced the Mexican muralists.  He later moved to the US where he worked as an art teacher and produced many lithographs and woodcuts, including children’s book illustrations.  A bit of a potted history, but I love his style and intend to delve more.   You can see the Mexican influence and Charlot’s style in this drawing.

Work and rest, lithograph, 1956

In celebration of Easter, here are a couple of Charlot’s bunny drawings.

Happy Bunnies, lithograph, 1936

Woodcut, 1956

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