Berta Hummel was a German artist known for her paintings of children that were made into popular postcards and figurines. After graduating from art school, she joined a convent where she continued painting. A porcelain company owner saw her artwork and received permission to produce figurines based on her paintings, which became an instant success when released in 1935. Hummel died of tuberculosis at age 37, but the figurines lived on based on her artwork and remain popular worldwide today.