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Edition 9 (1965) Winner
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Edition 19 (1975) Winner
Victor Ambrus
ヴィクター・アンブラス
Vikutā Anburasu
Aliases:
László Győző Ambrus
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1935-08-19 （Budapest）
- Died
- 2021-02-10 age 85
- Nationality
- Hungarian, British
- Languages
- Hungarian, English
- Residence History
- Budapest, Hungary → Farnham/Guildford/London, UK
Career
- Occupations
- Illustrator, Art teacher, Archaeological illustrator
- Active Years
- 1957-2021
- Affiliations
- Oxford University Press, Farnham School of Art
- Memberships
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers (RE, 1973), Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA, 1977), Member of The Pastel Society (PS, 1993), Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London (FSA, 2019), Hon Fellow, Society of Graphic Fine Art (Hon SGFA, 2010)
- Influenced By
- Mihály Zichy, E. H. Shepard, Joyce Lankester Brisley, John Tenniel, Arthur Rackham
- Nominations
- 1963 Kate Greenaway Medal commended (A Time of Trial, The Royal Navy), 1964 Kate Greenaway Medal commended, 1971 Kate Greenaway Medal commended (The Sultan's Bath)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Imre Cistercian College | — | Secondary education | — | 1945-1953 | Hungary |
| Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts | — | Fine Arts | — | 1953-1956 | Hungary |
| Farnham School of Art | — | Engraving and Lithography | — | 1956-1957 | UK |
| Royal College of Art | — | Printmaking and Illustration | Associate | 1957-1960 | UK |
St Imre Cistercian College
Secondary education
Period:
1945-1953
Year of Graduation:
1953
Country:
Hungary
Secondary school
Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts
Fine Arts
Period:
1953-1956
Year of Graduation:
1956
Country:
Hungary
Interrupted by 1956 Revolution
Farnham School of Art
Engraving and Lithography
Period:
1956-1957
Country:
UK
Short-term enrollment
Royal College of Art
Printmaking and Illustration
Degree:
Associate
Period:
1957-1960
Year of Graduation:
1960
Country:
UK
Gulbenkian scholarship
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Kate Greenaway Medal | The Three Poor Tailors | 児童書イラスト | Library Association | winner |
| 1975 | Kate Greenaway Medal | Mishka / Horses in Battle | 児童書イラスト | Library Association | winner |
| 1993 | Daler Rowney Prize | — | — | — | winner |
| 1993 | World Wildlife Fund Prize | — | — | Society of Wildlife Artists | winner |
Kate Greenaway Medal
1965
Work:
The Three Poor Tailors
Category:
児童書イラスト
Organization:
Library Association
Result:
winner
Kate Greenaway Medal
1975
Work:
Mishka / Horses in Battle
Category:
児童書イラスト
Organization:
Library Association
Result:
winner
Daler Rowney Prize
1993
Result:
winner
World Wildlife Fund Prize
1993
Organization:
Society of Wildlife Artists
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Three Poor Tailors
1965 Children's picture bookHungarian folktale written and illustrated by Ambrus. Kate Greenaway Medal winner.
FolktalesRags to riches
Mishka
1975 Children's picture bookSelf-written and illustrated children's book. Kate Greenaway Medal winner.
AdventureFriendship
Horses in Battle
1975 Children's picture bookHistorical picture book about horses in battle. Kate Greenaway Medal winner.
HorsesWar
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Detailed line illustrationsHistorical reconstructionsRealistic horse drawings
- Recurring Motifs
- HorsesHistorical scenesFolktales and myths
Legacy
Hungarian-born British illustrator who won the Kate Greenaway Medal twice for children's book illustration. Famous for archaeological reconstructions on Time Team and contributions to nearly 300 books.
Museums
- Museum of Somerset Taunton
Archives
- de Grummond Children's Literature Collection, University of Southern Mississippi
In Popular Culture
- Featured on Channel 4's archaeology series Time Team creating site reconstructions.
Trivia
- Fled Hungary during the 1956 Revolution as a student and settled in the UK.
- Learned to draw horses during childhood holidays in the countryside.
- Married fellow illustrator Glenys R. Chapman; they had two sons.