Moved to Italy and took his PhD in Economics in Genoa, 1938. He emigrated to the US in 1939. Art director of N.W. Ayer advertising agency until 1947. Succeeded Will Burtin as art director of Fortune in 1949. He developed a distinctive visual identity, utilizing photography and illustration. Was a design consultant for Olivetti and CCA. His famous cover of the Family of Man exhibition catalogue for NY MoMA (1955) is a 20th-century classic. ‘I felt the only way to reach my goals was by doing painting, sculpture, writing and graphics the way I wanted to do it.’ In his 50s he lived alternatively in Italy and New York. He was a co-editor of Print and an extremely productive and most original author/designer of 40 children’s books that conquered the world. Won the AIGA Gold Medal 1984, was a four-time winner of the Caldecott Medal. ‘One time I was jolted out of a near-slumber by the words “the mouse that didn’t exist”. I am sure they will eventually become the title of a book.’