Gordon Laite, who illustrated the children's book, THE KING WHO LEARNED TO SMILE, was born in 1925. You can see other examples of his work here and here.Seymour Reit, who wrote the book, was well known as a writer who also did stints in animation and even co-created Casper the Friendly Ghost. As Sy Reit He wrote many pages for MAD. He also wrote over 80 books for young readers. Reit died in 2001 at age 83.
THE KING WHO LEARNED TO SMILE Copyright © 1960 by Golden Press, Inc.
HGE: This is still the most eclectic and surprising blog I know. This post is another delightful, unexpected curveball. Amazing and beautiful stuff. I love how the two-page composition is often the perfect blend of white space and nearly-baroque lushness.
ReplyDeleteI like those two words in the same sentence: "surprising" and "eclectic." Thanks for the compliment, Mykal.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for posting these beautiful pages! *sniff*
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks to you for the thanks. I have more from this amazing artist, but right now I can't find it! That's what happens when a person lives in chaos.
ReplyDeleteI have a version of the 5 Fairy Tales book which I've had since childhood. And a number of years ago I began wondering what had ever become of Gordon Laite and why he wasn't more famous. I began doing a bit of research and was even able to contact his son via email. I learned that this wonderful man died of cancer in his late 30s. At the time I had been interested in making a website about him, but I got very busy with other things and never did. I really wish I had - *and* that I'd kept up contact with the Laite family!
ReplyDelete...And of course I would *love* to see more of what you have by Laite!!!!! I'm looking forward to it! (And understand perfectly what it's like to live in chaos! ;))
ReplyDeleteI appreciate knowing that Gordon Laite is deceased, but it's sad to learn that he died so young. Thank you for the information.
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome! I was very sad to hear of his early death too. I find his work to have a special elegance and subtly exotic beauty to it that was/is rare in the world of children's book illustration. It seems to continue the delicate, dark beauty of work from The Golden Age of Illustration, but with subtly modern fashion-illustration sensibilities. I would have liked for the world to be filled with more of his special take on things. And I'm very much looking forward to whatever else of his you are able to dig up and post. As it is, your blog seems to be a wealth of wonderfulness anyway. ...Almost too much to take in! ...I'll be chewing away at it bit by bit. :)
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