Born in Gardner, Massachusetts, Walter Harrison Cady (1877-1970) was an American illustrator. His father, town selectman and businessman Edwin Cady, fostered young Cady's love of nature and encouraged his artistic skills. Though he received no formal art training, Cady apprenticed with local painter Parker Perkins, his first publication appearing as early as 1894. This was an illustration in a supplement to Harper's Young People.
After his father's untimely death when Cady was only eighteen, he moved to New York City. He found work, first at the Brooklyn Eagle newspaper, and later at Life magazine. This led to a long career as a newspaper and magazine illustrator.
His work includes numerous children's books, featuring both realistic and fantastic animal illustrations. Friendly fantasy animals became Cady's trademark, prompting his long association with American author Thornton W. Burgess, of Old Mother Westwind fame. Cady became best known for his illustrations in Bedtime Stories, a daily newspaper column by Burgess.
During his 70-year career, Cady was very prolific, illustrating such publications as St. Nicholas, Saturday Evening Post, Ladies' Home Journal, Good Housekeeping and the Herald Tribune Syndicate.
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