Maud and Miska Petersham Papers
Scope and Contents
The collection contains production material for six titles published between 1936 and 1967, including The Story of Jesus(1967) that is a combined edition of Jesus' Story(1942) and The Story of Jesus(1944). Production materials include both manuscript and illustrative material, including illustrations, a proof, notes, and a typescript.
Dates
- circa 1931-1967
Creator
- Petersham, Maud, 1890-1971 (Person)
- Petersham, Miska, 1888-1960 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Open for use in the Elmer L. Andersen Library reading room.
Conditions Governing Use
This collection may be protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code). It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and to obtain all necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials. Researchers may quote from the collection under the fair use provision of the copyright law.
Biographical / Historical
Maud (Fuller) Petersham was born August 5, 1890, in Kingston, NY. She graduated from Vassar College in 1912 and later studied at the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts. While working for the International Art Service, an advertising agency in New York City, she met and married co-worker Miska Petersham. He had been born Mikaly Petrezselyem in Torokszentmiklos, Hungary, on September 20, 1888. In 1920 the Petershams illustrated their first book for children, The Enchanted Forestby William Bowen. During their long and prolific careers, they illustrated dozens of books by many different authors of both fiction and nonfiction. The Petershams also wrote and illustrated many books together, beginning in 1929 with Miki, the story of a little boy's trip to Hungary. In 1942 the Petershams received a Caldecott Honor citation for An American A B C, and in 1946 they won the Caldecott Medal for The Rooster Crows: A Book of American Rhymes and Jingles. Miska Petersham died on May 15, 1960, and Maud (Fuller) Petersham died on November 29, 1971.
Biographical scources: Something About the Author, Vol. 17, p. 146-152Twentieth Century Children's Writers, 3rd ed., p. 773-774
Extent
4 boxes
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Maud (Fuller) and Miska Petersham's papers focus on their work as illustrators and authors of children's books. The collection contains production material for six titles published between 1931 and 1967.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Part of this collection was originally given to Dr. Irvin Kerlan, who in turn donated his collection to the University of Minnesota. Maud (Fuller) Petersham gave additional material to the University of Minnesota in 1967-1968.
- Authors, American -- 20th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Bible stories, English -- Gospels Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Children's literature -- Illustrations Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Children's literature, American Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Children's poetry, American Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Children's stories, American Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Drawings (visual works) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Folklore -- Albania Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Frontier and pioneer life -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Illustration of books -- 20th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Illustrators -- United States Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Jesus Christ (Depicted) -- Juvenile literature
- Manuscripts for publication Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Nursery rhymes Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- United States -- History -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Source
- Kerlan, Irvin, 1912-1963 (Donor, Person)
- Title
- Maud and Miska Petersham Papers, circa 1931-1967
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Christina Cowan, April 1999 and Larry Peterson, March 2005
- Date
- 3/15/2005
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- October 2020: Description updated by Caitlin Marineau.
Collecting Area Details
Contact The Children's Literature Research Collections Collecting Area
