Ernest Howard Shepard: The Gentle Soul Behind Beloved Characters Ernest Howard Shepard (1879-1976) was an English artist and book illustrator whose enduring legacy rests primarily on his captivating depictions of anthropomorphic animals—particularly Winnie-the-Pooh and the Wind in the Willows—which cemented his place as one of Britain’s most cherished children's illustrators. Born in St John’s Wood, London, Shepard possessed an innate…