# Elsa Beskow

> Swedish artist (1874-1953)

**Wikidata**: [Q466623](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q466623)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsa_Beskow)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/elsa-beskow

## Summary
Elsa Beskow was a Swedish artist who lived from 1874 to 1953. She is best remembered for her significant contributions to children's literature, which resulted in the creation of the Elsa Beskow plaque, a prestigious Swedish literary award for children's books established in 1958.

## Biography
- Born: 1874-1953 (specific birth date and place not provided)
- Nationality: Sweden
- Education: Not provided in source material
- Known for: Children's literature illustration and artwork
- Employer(s): Not provided in source material
- Field(s): Art and children's literature illustration

## Contributions
- The Elsa Beskow plaque, a Swedish literary award for children's books established in 1958
- Artwork that contributed to Swedish children's literature tradition
- Literary work that inspired a lasting award honoring excellence in children's books

## FAQs
What was Elsa Beskow's profession? Elsa Beskow worked as a Swedish artist, with particular focus on children's literature illustration.

What is the Elsa Beskow plaque? It is a Swedish literary award for children's books that was established in 1958 in recognition of Beskow's contributions to the field.

How many Wikipedia articles reference Elsa Beskow? According to the provided data, Elsa Beskow has 31 Wikipedia sitelinks, indicating significant recognition in online encyclopedic sources.

What are Elsa Beskow's known aliases? She is also known as Elsa Maartman according to the provided structured properties.

## Why They Matter
Elsa Beskow's impact extends beyond her lifetime through the Elsa Beskow plaque, which continues to recognize excellence in Swedish children's literature. The award, established five years after her death in 1958, demonstrates the lasting influence of her artistic and literary contributions. Without her pioneering work, Swedish children's literature might not have achieved the same level of recognition and development that the plaque acknowledges annually.

## Notable For
- Having a literary award named after her (the Elsa Beskow plaque) for children's books
- Being recognized as a significant Swedish artist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
- Contributing to Swedish children's literature to the extent that an award was created in her honor
- Maintaining substantial digital presence with 31 Wikipedia sitelinks
- Having multiple identities including Elsa Beskow and Elsa Maartman

## Body
### Early Life and Identity
Elsa Beskow was born in 1874 and lived until 1953. While the specific birthplace and family details are not provided in the source material, she is established as a Swedish national with the additional alias Elsa Maartman. Her professional identity is primarily defined as an artist, with particular significance in the field of children's literature.

### Career in Art and Literature
The source material identifies Elsa Beskow as a Swedish artist without providing specific details about her education, employers, or the progression of her career. Her work in children's literature illustration appears to have been substantial enough to warrant posthumous recognition through a literary award. The connection between her artistic contributions and children's literature suggests she may have created illustrations and written content for children's books, though specific works are not detailed in the provided information.

### The Elsa Beskow Plaque
The most concrete legacy attributed to Elsa Beskow is the Elsa Beskow plaque, established in 1958 as a Swedish literary award for children's books. This award serves as institutional recognition of her contributions to Swedish children's literature. The plaque represents a tangible impact of her work, demonstrating that her artistic and literary achievements were significant enough to merit an ongoing national award.

### Digital Recognition and Presence
Elsa Beskow maintains substantial presence in digital knowledge repositories. According to the provided data, she has 31 sitelinks across Wikipedia articles, indicating extensive coverage of her life and work in online encyclopedic sources. Additionally, her Wikipedia entry title is simply "Elsa Beskow," while Wikidata includes both "Elsa Beskow" and "Elsa Maartman" as descriptions. The Elsa Beskow plaque itself has 5 sitelinks, showing that the award named after her has its own digital footprint.

### Influence on Swedish Literature
While the specific nature of Beskow's artistic style, literary works, or teaching activities are not detailed in the source material, the creation of a dedicated literary award in her name suggests she had a profound influence on Swedish children's literature. The establishment of the Elsa Beskow plaque in 1958, five years after her death, indicates that her contributions continued to be valued and recognized by Swedish literary institutions and cultural authorities. The award's focus on children's literature specifically suggests her most significant impact was in this genre, likely through both written and visual artistic expression.

## References

1. Sveriges dödbok
2. [Swedish Census 1880](https://sok.riksarkivet.se/?postid=Folk_118139807)
3. [Maria Magdalena kyrkoarkiv, Födelse- och dopböcker, huvudserie, SE/SSA/0012/C I a/17 (1872-1875), bildid: 00014963_00159. Swedish church birth records](https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/00014963_00159?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=0#?cv=158&z=60.2852%2C3293.6168%2C2771.366%2C1501.0485)
4. Digital Library for Dutch Literature
5. Integrated Authority File
6. Virtual International Authority File
7. BnF authorities
8. artist list of the National Museum of Sweden. 2016
9. [Source](http://www2.ub.gu.se/kvinndata/portaler/rostratt/pdf/rostrattsfragan.pdf)
10. RKDartists
11. [1900 Sweden Census](https://sok.riksarkivet.se/?postid=Folk_107561658#tab)
12. [Swedish Census 1910](https://sok.riksarkivet.se/?postid=Folk_122259050)
13. LIBRIS. 2016
14. Czech National Authority Database
15. [Source](https://www.dbnl.org/onzekinderboeken/jeugdlit_illustrator.php)
16. [Source](https://hdl.handle.net/21.12123/248346)
17. Nordic Women in Film
18. Elsa Beskow (f. Maartman). Dictionary of Swedish National Biography
19. [FinnGraven.se](http://finngraven.se/%28S%28ptznhzqcvnevuv55trgfa2qh%29%29/DisplayInfo.aspx?id=2002961)
20. International Standard Name Identifier
21. CiNii Research
22. MusicBrainz
23. Elsa Beskow. RKDartists
24. Elsa Beskow. Benezit Dictionary of Artists
25. Find a Grave
26. Internet Speculative Fiction Database
27. Discogs
28. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
29. Artists of the World Online
30. SNAC
31. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
32. Norwegian Authority File: Persons and Corporate Bodies
33. [Svenskt porträttgalleri XX](https://runeberg.org/spg/20/0037.html)
34. [Source](https://www.dbnl.org/tekst/coil001lexi01_01/lvdj00094.php#b047)
35. CONOR.SI
36. Goodreads
37. [HANSJE IN 'T BESSENLAND](https://hdl.handle.net/21.12123/248346)