Mitsumasa Anno
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese author
and illustrator
of children's books.
, and grew up in the small town of Tsuwano. As a student at a regional high school, he studied art, drawing, and the writings of Hermann Hesse
. During World War II
, Anno was drafted into the Japanese army. After the war, Anno earned a degree from the Yamaguchi Teacher Training College in 1948. He taught mathematics for ten years in an elementary school in Tokyo
before beginning a career illustrating children's books. Anno lives in Japan with his wife, Midori. They have two children, Masaichiro and Seiko.
and woodcut
s. They are intricately detailed, showing a sense of humor as well as an interest in science
, mathematics
, and foreign cultures. They frequently incorporate subtle jokes and references. Anno's style has been compared to that of M. C. Escher
. Although he is best known for his children's books, his paintings have earned recognition in his native Japan
. In Tsuwano, Japan
, the Mitsumasa Anno Museum houses a collection of his works.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
of children's books.
Background
Anno was born in 1926 in JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and grew up in the small town of Tsuwano. As a student at a regional high school, he studied art, drawing, and the writings of Hermann Hesse
Hermann Hesse
Hermann Hesse was a German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. In 1946, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Anno was drafted into the Japanese army. After the war, Anno earned a degree from the Yamaguchi Teacher Training College in 1948. He taught mathematics for ten years in an elementary school in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
before beginning a career illustrating children's books. Anno lives in Japan with his wife, Midori. They have two children, Masaichiro and Seiko.
Art
Anno is best known for wordless picture books featuring small, detailed figures. In the "Journey" books, a tiny character travels through a nation's landscape, densely populated with pictures referencing that country's art, literature, culture, and history. Anno's illustrations are often in pen and ink and watercolor, and occasionally incorporate collageCollage
A collage is a work of formal art, primarily in the visual arts, made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole....
and woodcut
Woodcut
Woodcut—occasionally known as xylography—is a relief printing artistic technique in printmaking in which an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood, with the printing parts remaining level with the surface while the non-printing parts are removed, typically with gouges...
s. They are intricately detailed, showing a sense of humor as well as an interest in science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, and foreign cultures. They frequently incorporate subtle jokes and references. Anno's style has been compared to that of M. C. Escher
M. C. Escher
Maurits Cornelis Escher , usually referred to as M. C. Escher , was a Dutch graphic artist. He is known for his often mathematically inspired woodcuts, lithographs, and mezzotints...
. Although he is best known for his children's books, his paintings have earned recognition in his native Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. In Tsuwano, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, the Mitsumasa Anno Museum houses a collection of his works.
List of works
- Mysterious Pictures (1968)
- Jeux de construction (1970)
- Topsy Turvies (1970)
- Upside Downers (1971)
- Zwergenspuk (1972)
- Dr. Anno's Magical Midnight Circus (1972)
- Anno's Alphabet (1975)
- Anno's Journey (1977)
- Anno's Animals (1979)
- Anno's Italy (1979)
- Unique World of Mitsumasa Anno (1980)
- Anno's Magical ABC (1981)
- Anno's Counting House (1982)
- Anno's Britain (1982)
- Anno's USA (1983)
- Anno's Counting Book (1984)
- Anno's Flea Market (1984)
- Anno's Three Little Pigs (1985)
- Anno's Counting Book (1986)
- The King's Flower (1986)
- All in a Day (1986)
- Anno's Sundial (1987)
- Anno's Upside Downers (1988)
- In Shadowland (1988)
- Anno's Peekaboo (1988)
- Anno's Faces (1989)
- Anno's Aesop: A Book of Fables (1989)
- Chyi Miaw Gwo (1990)
- Anno's Medieval World (1990)
- Anno's Masks (1990)
- The Animals (1992)
- Anno's Hat Tricks (1993)
- Anno's Twice Told Tale (1993)
- Anno's Magic Seeds (1995)
- Anno's Journey (1997)
- Anno's Math Games (1997)
- Anno's Math Games 2 (1997)
- Anno's Math Games 3 (1997)
- Anno's Mysterious Multiplying Jar (1999)
- The Art Of Mitsumasa Anno: Bridging Cultures (with Ann Beneduce) (2003)
- Bungotai for Youths (2003)
- Anno's Spain (2004)
Works illustrated by Mitsumasa Anno
- Socrates and the Three Little Pigs, by Tsuyoshi Mori (1986)
- The Magic Pocket: Selected Poems, by Michio MadoMichio Madois a Japanese poet. He was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 1994.-Early life:Mado was born as Michio Ishida in Tokuyama, Yamaguchi prefecture. He spent his childhood with his grandfather because his parents went to work in Taiwan. Later he joined his family there...
(1998)
Awards
- Chicago TribuneChicago TribuneThe Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
Honor Award (1970) - The Minister of Education's Art Encouragement Prize for New Artists (1974)
- Kate Greenaway CommendedKate Greenaway MedalThe Kate Greenaway Medal was established in the United Kingdom in 1955 in honour of the children's illustrator, Kate Greenaway. The medal is given annually to an outstanding work of illustration in children's literature. It is awarded by Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals...
(1974) - Brooklyn Museum of Art AwardBrooklyn MuseumThe Brooklyn Museum is an encyclopedia art museum located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. At 560,000 square feet, the museum holds New York City's second largest art collection with roughly 1.5 million works....
(1975) - Boston Globe Horn Book AwardBoston Globe-Horn Book AwardThe Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards were first presented by The Boston Globe and Horn Book Magazine in 1967. They are among the most prestigious honors in the United States in the field of children’s and young adult literature...
(Picture Books) (1975) - BIB Golden Apple Award (1979)
- Graphic Award, Bologna Children's Book FairBologna Children's Book FairThe Bologna Children's Book Fair or La fiera del libro per ragazzi is the leading professional fair for children's books in the world.Since 1963, it is held yearly for four days in March or April in Bologna, Italy...
(1980) - Hans Christian Andersen AwardHans Christian Andersen AwardThe Hans Christian Andersen Award, sometimes known as the "Nobel Prize for children's literature", is an international award given biennially by the International Board on Books for Young People in recognition of a "lasting contribution to children's literature"...
(1984)