About Randolph Caldecott
Randolph Caldecott ( KAWL-də-kot; 22 March 1846 – 12 February 1886) was a prolific British artist and illustrator who illustrated novels and accounts of foreign travel, made humorous drawings depicting hunting and fashionable life, drew cartoons, made sketches of the Houses of Parliament inside and out, and exhibited sculptures and paintings in oil and watercolour in the Royal Academy. He is most famous for his illustrations of children's books, for transforming the style of book illustration, and for his continuing influence on illustrators of children's books. The Caldecott Medal was named in his honour. Caldecott greatly influenced illustration of children's books during the nineteenth century. Two books illustrated by him, priced at a shilling each, were published every Christmas for eight years.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.