The Artist Who Created Eloise Reveals His Muses

The illustrator of Eloise, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and so many more was inspired partly by his time in the Navy. “Perhaps his most important education, though, occurred in movie palaces and at the lushly outfitted live entertainments that used to be Broadway staples. Vitrines at the library contain collaged homages to a chorus line of showbiz muses like Liliane Montevecchi (‘the most remarkable person,’ said Mr. Knight, a connoisseur of the appreciative adjective), Ann Miller (‘like a steam engine’) and Dame Edna (‘extraordinary’).”