André François

André François was a graphic artist who earned an international reputation as a cartoonist, poster designer, and illustrator of children’s books. François was born in Hungary as André Farkas and attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Budapest from 1932 to 1933. In 1934, François moved to Paris to study at the atelier of Adolphe Cassandre, a renowned poster artist. By the late 1940s, François had illustrated several children’s books and was a regular contributor to The New Yorker and Punch magazines. He also designed advertisements for print and television and stage sets for theatrical productions. For his myriad artistic achievements, François was named a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in France and received an honorary doctorate from the University of London.