Charles Santore

Charles Joseph Santore (March 16, 1935 – August 11, 2019) was an American illustrator best known for his children's books. His work is on display permanently at the Brandywine River Museum and the Museum of Modern Art. He won the Hamilton King award from the New York Society of Illustrators in 1972. His book William the Curious was honored in the 1998 Storytelling World 'Stories for Pre-Adolescent Listeners' category. His most popular works include his celebrity portraits for TV Guide. Santore died on August 11, 2019.

Background

Santore was born in Philadelphia in 1935 and attended the Museum School of Art (which is now the University of the Arts) where he studied illustration. When he graduated in 1956 he served in the Army and then returned to Philadelphia to work in a small art studio. He started to get assignments from the N.W. Ayer Agency and his first editorial assignment was for the old Saturday Evening Post headquartered in Philadelphia.

Career beginnings

In 1985 he was approached by Running Press to illustrate a new version of "Tales of Peter Rabbit" by Beatrix Potter. It was a life changing experience as he realized how different it was to illustrate an entire book rather than just one image.

Illustrations

Each book took him two years to complete. His work appeared in publications such as Redbook, Ladies' Home Journal, Esquire, Cosmopolitan, National Geographic, and many others. His most popular works were celebrity portraits he did for TV Guide magazine covers.

Permanent collections

His illustrations are part of the permanent collections at many locations including: the Brandywine River Museum, Chadds Ford, PA, The Free Library of Philadelphia, New York City’s Museum of Modern Art, The United States Department of the Interior, the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and many private collections.

Awards

• Hamilton King Award from the New York Society of Illustrators
• Gold medal from the New York Society of Publication Designers
• "Edgar" from the Mystery Writers of America