Lisbeth Zwerger

I first discovered the marvelous art of Lisbeth Zwerger in the 1980's, when I read to my young children. Her illustrations have a wonderfully soft, charming quality, like English illustrators of the 19th century. Zwerger, born and educated in Vienna, is the recipient of many awards, the most significant being the Hans Christian Anderson Medal for illustration, presented in 1990 to recognize her lifetime achievement and contribution to the field of children's literature.

The Joy of Seeing

Joy comes from seeing the beautiful.
A scarf, sweeping from the neck. A puffedout skirt with mysterious
draping. A wallpaper with an intricate pattern. Hats and furniture,
statues and inscriptions, graceful figures and dainty shoes.

Joy also comes from seeing the demonic, the ugly.
A man whose body looks like a fly. A fearsome witch. A ghost
holding his head in his hands. A black spectre, Mr. Knife and
Mrs. Fork, with blade and prong growing out of their heads. A
dancing camel. A boy climbing into a picture. A fish flying through
the air.

Joy comes from the humorous.
A mouse wearing a woolen cover around its long, thin tail. A little
man with a pillow on his head. A donkey and some scholars
wearing the same spectacles. Maids lifting their skirts to hide
their kissing princess.

Joy with the eyes emerges from stories.

---Lisbeth Zwerger, from The Art of Lisbeth Zwerger

Poppy Field, The Wizard of Oz

Jury, Alice in Wonderland