Caldecott, Randolph, 1846-86, English artist and illustrator. He is famous for his drawings of contemporary English country life and for his charming and humorous illustrations, including those for Washington Irving's Old Christmas and Bracebridge Hall and Blackburn's Breton Folk. Perhaps his best are the colored illustrations for a series of 16 children's picture books, including The House that Jack Built and The Grand Panjandrum Himself. The Caldecott Medal for excellence in children's-book illustration is named for him.