Esphyr Slobodkina (Author, Illustrator),

Esphyr Slobodkina (1908–2002) was a Russian-born American abstract artist, author, and illustrator who became a pioneer of early American abstraction and a founding member of the American Abstract Artists group in 1936.[1][2] She is best known to the general public as the author and illustrator of the children's classic Caps for Sale (1940), which has sold over 7.5 million copies, though she produced over 22 children's books throughout her career.[1] Over her 70-year career, Slobodkina worked across multiple disciplines including painting, sculpture, fashion design, and writing, significantly contributing to the acceptance of abstract art in the United States.[3]