Maria Innocentia Hummel was born on May 21, 1909 in the city Massing located in southern Bavaria.
She studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, where she developed a style that was a fusion of traditional German painting with modern European and American influences.
In the 1930s, Hummel began creating illustrations for children’s books, which quickly gained her a following.
In 1934, Hummel joined the Convent of Siessen in southern Germany, where she became a nun and continued to paint and draw in her spare time.
It was Hummel’s work for the publishing house Ars Sacra that would make her a household name.
In the 1930s, Sacra began publishing a series of postcards featuring Hummel’s illustrations that depicted children engaged in everyday activities.
Her postcards became hugely popular in Germany and were soon exported across Europe and America.
Hummel’s images were delicate and detailed, and her characters had a cherubic quality that captured the innocence and simplicity of childhood.
Because of their widespread appeal, Hummel’s illustrations were eventually adapted into figurines, ornaments, and other collectibles, making her one of the most recognizable artists of the 20th century.
More of M. I. Hummel’s historic creations can be found at http://mihummel.org/
Humoring the Goddess 