Louis Darling
Encyclopedia
Louis Darling, Jr. was an American illustrator, author, and environmentalist. He is best known for his illustrations for the original editions of Silent Spring
and the Henry Huggins
series.
, and would live in Connecticut for most of his life. He attended the Grand Central School of Art
in New York City. After graduation and two years of private study, he worked at an agency for a time before enlisting in the Army Air Force
in 1942. He served in the Air Force as a photographer for four years.
He married zoologist and artist Lois MacIntyre
in 1946. They would remain married until his death, and frequently collaborated on both writing and illustration. They had no children.
Also in 1946, Darling was hired by William Morrow and Company
to illustrate Roderick Haig-Brown
's book A River Never Sleeps. Subsequently, he began illustrating, and then writing, children's books, mostly for Morrow. He was assigned to Beverly Cleary
's first book, Henry Huggins
, in 1950, which began his best-known association; he would illustrate most of Cleary's books until his death. The character of Huggins was called a “modern Tom Sawyer” in the 1950s.
He wrote his first book, Greenhead, in 1954. He would later write: “I started to write my own books because it seemed to me that there was seldom enough cooperation between author and illustrator. The best way to get this cooperation was to become the author myself.”
In 1962, the Darlings' friend Roger Tory Peterson
suggested to author Rachel Carson
that they be hired to illustrate her forthcoming book, Silent Spring
. Their illustrations would be used on the chapter headings and the title page of the first edition.
Darling wrote and illustrated The Gull's Way, a book about Herring Gulls
on an island in Maine
, which was published in 1965. To research it, he had camped alone on the uninhabited island for six weeks, observing and photographing the gulls. The book won the John Burroughs Medal
in 1966.
His final collaboration with Lois was A Place in the Sun: Ecology and the Living World, published in 1968. Darling died of cancer in 1970.
for the Connecticut Turnpike
. The organization unsuccessfully sued the state of New York in 1956 to prevent the action, although they were successful in reducing the size of a planned parking lot that was to be built in a Connecticut salt marsh.
Silent Spring
Silent Spring is a book written by Rachel Carson and published by Houghton Mifflin on 27 September 1962. The book is widely credited with helping launch the environmental movement....
and the Henry Huggins
Henry Huggins
Henry Huggins ' is a character appearing in a series of children's literature novels by Beverly Cleary, illustrated by Louis Darling, and first appearing in Henry Huggins. Henry is a young boy living on Klickitat Street in Portland, Oregon. The novels take place in the 1950s, which is when Cleary...
series.
Biography
Darling was born in Stamford, ConnecticutStamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, and would live in Connecticut for most of his life. He attended the Grand Central School of Art
Grand Central School of Art
The Grand Central School of Art was an American art school in New York City, founded in 1923 by the painters Edmund Greacen, Walter Leighton Clark and John Singer Sargent. The school was established and run by the Grand Central Art Galleries, an artists' cooperative founded by Sargent, Greacen,...
in New York City. After graduation and two years of private study, he worked at an agency for a time before enlisting in the Army Air Force
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
in 1942. He served in the Air Force as a photographer for four years.
He married zoologist and artist Lois MacIntyre
Lois Darling
Lois MacIntyre Darling was an author, illustrator and researcher. She was an accomplished yachtswoman.-Biography:Lois MacIntyre was born in 15 August 1917 in New York and grew up around Riverside, Connecticut. MacIntyre's father, Malcolm, was a mechanical engineer whilst her mother Grace was a...
in 1946. They would remain married until his death, and frequently collaborated on both writing and illustration. They had no children.
Also in 1946, Darling was hired by William Morrow and Company
William Morrow and Company
William Morrow and Company is an American publishing company founded by William Morrow in 1926. The company was acquired by Scott Foresman in 1967, and sold to Hearst Corporation in 1981. It was sold along to the News Corporation in 1999...
to illustrate Roderick Haig-Brown
Roderick Haig-Brown
Roderick Haig-Brown was a Canadian writer and conservationist.-Early life:Born in Lancing, Sussex, England his father, Alan Haig-Brown, was a teacher and a prolific writer who published hundreds of articles and poems on sports, the military and educational issues in various periodicals...
's book A River Never Sleeps. Subsequently, he began illustrating, and then writing, children's books, mostly for Morrow. He was assigned to Beverly Cleary
Beverly Cleary
Beverly Cleary is an American author. Educated at colleges in California and Washington, she worked as a librarian before writing children's books. Cleary has written more than 30 books for young adults and children. Some of her best-known characters are Henry Huggins, Ribsy, Beatrice Quimby, her...
's first book, Henry Huggins
Henry Huggins (novel)
Henry Huggins is the first book in the Henry Huggins series of children's novels, written by Beverly Cleary and illustrated by Louis Darling. It is about a boy named Henry Huggins who finds a dog while going to the drug store and names it "Ribsy"...
, in 1950, which began his best-known association; he would illustrate most of Cleary's books until his death. The character of Huggins was called a “modern Tom Sawyer” in the 1950s.
He wrote his first book, Greenhead, in 1954. He would later write: “I started to write my own books because it seemed to me that there was seldom enough cooperation between author and illustrator. The best way to get this cooperation was to become the author myself.”
In 1962, the Darlings' friend Roger Tory Peterson
Roger Tory Peterson
Roger Tory Peterson , was an American naturalist, ornithologist, artist, and educator, and held to be one of the founding inspirations for the 20th century environmental movement.-Background:...
suggested to author Rachel Carson
Rachel Carson
Rachel Louise Carson was an American marine biologist and conservationist whose writings are credited with advancing the global environmental movement....
that they be hired to illustrate her forthcoming book, Silent Spring
Silent Spring
Silent Spring is a book written by Rachel Carson and published by Houghton Mifflin on 27 September 1962. The book is widely credited with helping launch the environmental movement....
. Their illustrations would be used on the chapter headings and the title page of the first edition.
Darling wrote and illustrated The Gull's Way, a book about Herring Gulls
American Herring Gull
The American Herring Gull or Smithsonian Gull is a large gull which breeds in North America. It is often treated as a subspecies of the European Herring Gull but is now regarded as a separate species by some authorities.Adults are white with gray back and wings, black wingtips with white spots,...
on an island in Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, which was published in 1965. To research it, he had camped alone on the uninhabited island for six weeks, observing and photographing the gulls. The book won the John Burroughs Medal
John Burroughs Medal
The John Burroughs Medal, named for nature writer John Burroughs , is awarded each year in April by the John Burroughs Association to the author of a book that the association has judged to be distinguished in the field of natural history....
in 1966.
His final collaboration with Lois was A Place in the Sun: Ecology and the Living World, published in 1968. Darling died of cancer in 1970.
Environmental activism
Darling had been interested in nature and the outdoors his entire life, and was an early environmentalist and conservationist. He was the president of Connecticut Conservationists, a consortium of environmentalist groups formed to oppose the dredging of Long Island SoundLong Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
for the Connecticut Turnpike
Connecticut Turnpike
The Connecticut Turnpike, known now as the Governor John Davis Lodge Turnpike, is a freeway in Connecticut that runs from Greenwich to Killingly. It is signed as Interstate 95 from the New York state line at Greenwich to East Lyme, and then as Interstate 395 from East Lyme to Plainfield...
. The organization unsuccessfully sued the state of New York in 1956 to prevent the action, although they were successful in reducing the size of a planned parking lot that was to be built in a Connecticut salt marsh.