Monday, August 18, 2008

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

34 comments:

  1. I don't think I have every seen her illustrations, but I love what she has to say about the meaning of beauty.

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  2. Another name for our library list. Thank you! Delightful post.

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  3. Willow, thanks for the introduction to Lisbeth Zwerger. I love her work and plan to give her books to my grandchildren who will love her illustrations.

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  4. I especially love The Jury picture! :)

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  5. Wonderful words. She knows of what she speaks. Her Alice in Wonderland is one of my absolute favorites.
    A complete original.

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  6. I have never heard of her. I am going to have to check her books out next time I am at the bookstore. I am stocking up on all my children's books already!!!!!!

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  7. HI Willow...I've never seen her illustrations but I agree completely that they are soft and charming....I am most certain children would love them...putting this on my list of things to seek out and find...lovely new books with her illustrations for Lily and Ethan..

    BTW...such a sweet photo of your precious daughter :)

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  8. Ooooh, Poppy fields is nice.

    Thanks for being a friend. I have a little award for you over on my blog.

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  9. That's a delightful artist I had not come across in 50 yrs of reading to children. Our library was once extensive - felt undressed without it.

    Where does she hail from? Her illustrations are charming, soo too her views on beauty.

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  10. I first stumbled upon the work of Lisbeth Zwerger a couple of years ago walking through the children's section of a new library in the Kansas City area and I instantly fell in love. It was The Wizard of Oz. Some time after that my wife found me a lovely copy of Hans Christian Anderson tales illustrated by Zwerger but the Oz book alluded us because it seemed to be out of print. About a year ago I was in an outlet bookstore and came across a non-remaindered copy of the book that was in pristine condition for only a few dollars...less than 5 I believe. Needless to say I was thrilled! I had it at my work for awhile and oddly enough just brought it home with me tonight to put on my coffee table here at the house. She is indeed an amazing talent and one who deserves high praise!

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  11. I am familiar with her illustration work, such a talent. Did you notice the chicken in the jury??? So obviously this now has to be my favourite....

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  12. I love this type of illustrations. I agree about the older English illustrators and in some cases early American illustrators. I bought books for the children when they were young sometimes just for the illustrations.

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  13. I was not familiar with her work which is beautiful.Thanks for the heads up.

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  14. Another lovely discovery on your lovely blog. And congrats for the birthday girl! Have a happy day. Eleanor

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  15. Another lovely discovery on your lovely blog. And congrats for the birthday girl! Have a happy day. Eleanor

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  16. Wonderful illustrations! Thanks for the introduction to her work

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  17. Her work is so lovely...Thanks for sharing this... Illustration work has always been where my heart it as an artist and I keep going back to that....Having inspiration like Zwerger is a motivator to get back to the drawing board, literally....

    Loved this post, Willow!

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  18. Wow !! how magically beautiful thanks Willow I'm off to google Lisbeth. Very inspiring art !!!

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  19. Hey all, your children and grandchildren will love, love, love her books. But I am like Carl, in that I snatch these little treasures up for myself.

    They are truly works of art!

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  20. Oh, I recognize her work but didn't know her. Thanks for this--I think her work is fabulous! Just magical!

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  21. Your blog is in bloom with wonderful things! Please stop by, I have a Blog in Bloom Award for you today
    CYnthia

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  22. This is very nice and I like the art,

    Bye!

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  23. Stevie and Cynthia, wow! Today must be my lucky day!! Thanks to both of you. What a nice surprise! I'll pop right over...

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  24. Another illustrator I'm not familiar with. Charming pictures though. Thx for the link!

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  25. Not link...I mean reference!

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  26. I love, love, love these illustrations. That bottom one is just amazing and so enchanting. I see a few of my friends sitting there!

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  27. Excellent post, willow. Children's books illustrators hardly ever get the recognition they deserve. It's like the poem you uploaded the other day. It is the translator's work as much as the poet's desxterity what trigger off the feelings and emotions we have whilst reading them. The same with illustrations. I have seen her paintings somewhere but, silly me, I was probably more focused on the story plot. I will definitely seek her artwork out more now.

    Thanks for the article.

    Greetings from London.

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  28. And before I forget, her words about joy are spot on.

    Greetings from London.

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  29. Lisbeth Zwerger came into our household thanks to our children, during the years when we seemed to either live at the public library or in the various children's book sections in book stores in and around Washington, DC (some of them, saddly, have gone out of business in the meantime, Politics & Prose on Connecticut Avene is one extrordinary well run independent bookseller that we loved and which still thrives). We have loved her artistry ever since. The children loved to search for little details in her illustrations, delighting in the sense of humor this artist displays.

    Since you like LZ, you may also appreciate the work of British artist Gretel Parker, who keeps a most delightful blog,
    Middle of Nowhere.

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  30. Merisi, thank you so much for the link. I'm off to check out Ms. Parker's work right now... :D

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  31. Wonderful post Willow, thanks.. Lizbeth Zwerger is amongst my very favourites :) Marvellous work and great words on beauty there.. I must get that book!

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  32. Willow, I thought I left a post here yesterday (2/7/09) when I stumbled into your blog looking for more books illustrated by Zwerger. I don't know if this post is closed, or if I somehow made an error, but i wanted to add my thoughts here. I signed up as a blogger for the first time just so I could say hello and hurrah for Lisbeth. My husband brought home the magazine American Artist: Watercolors one day and Zwerger was the featured artist. I poured over the article thinking I had seen her work somewhere. I went to the children's book cupboard and found my younger son's ( now a 20 something) copy of the Friendly Giant. Soon I bought the Art of Lisbeth Zwerger and have been looking for more of her books ever since. Today I am in search of The Nutcracker and more of your posts. Heren I have discovered a world of lively minds, of beauty and warmth in your posts and your followers, and I love it!

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  33. Well, I'll be darned. I did remember the date I first posted on your blog.
    I am celebrating my first year of following Life at Willow Manor! Thank you for all the great posts: the fun, facts, art, poetry, books, food, films, and friendship! It has been marvelous!

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)