Etienne Delessert: Illustrator – Switzerland

etienne delessert emerged as a key figure in the children’s book renewal across Europe and the United States in the 1960s and 1970s. His conviction that there are few limitations to a child’s perceptions has given new life into the world of children’s picture books.

Delessert’s introduction to picture books started early. Born in Lausanne in January 1941, he took refuge in the works of Arthur Rackham, Beatrix Potter, Samivel, Béatrice Appia, and Feodor Rojankovsky. On a different level, young Delessert was also fascinated by the works of Walt Disney, Hergé, and Pellos. These artists greatly influenced Delessert and provided the essential aesthetic nourishment of his childhood.

After gaining some experience as a graphic artist in Lausanne, Delessert departed to Paris to work as the art director of two Parisian magazines: Formidable and Mademoiselle. This opportunity taught him the ways and means to address a large public audience, how to communicate ideas, how to visualize concepts, and how to tell a story through images. In 1962, Delessert joined the American and French avant-garde artists in the attempt to reinvent the picture book—an endeavor which until then had been neglected by the literary and artistic community. In 1967, The Endless Party was published. It was Delessert’s first picture book, and it has since then become classic and been translated into numerous languages.

Delessert’s picture books are among the earliest works to create a distance (as in film) between text and images. This strategy allows children to play with concepts that go beyond objective truth and allow children to grasp other aspects of reality. His use of soft color palette creates a warm and welcoming space for child readers, presenting various complex concepts in a non-threatening manner. In his latest works, Delessert has become even more personal and intimate in his story telling—serious yet humorous, questioning yet playful. One such example is A Glass (2012), a moving story of his stepmother. In this book, soft and mute color palette is used to present complex feelings and experiences in childish, sometimes comedic, portrayal. Etienne Delessert’s works really demonstrate his understanding of children’s emotions and perspectives.