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Wolf Erlbruch

ウォルフ・エルルブルッフ

Wolf Erlbruch

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1948-06-30 （Wuppertal, Allied-occupied Germany）
Died
2022-12-11 （Wuppertal, Germany） age 74
Nationality
Germany
Languages
German
Residence History
Wuppertal → Essen (study period)

Career

Occupations
Children's book author, Illustrator, Professor
Active Years
1970-2022
Affiliations
Fachhochschule Düsseldorf (professor), University of Wuppertal (professor, dept. of architecture, design and art), Folkwang University of the Arts (professor of illustration)

Education

Folkwang University of the Arts (Folkwang Hochschule)
Arts / Design / Graphic Design
Period: 1967–1974
Year of Graduation: 1974
Country: Germany
Studied graphic design; worked in advertising and as an illustrator for magazines while a student.

Awards

Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis
1993
Work: Das Bärenwunder
Category: 絵本部門
Organization: Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis
Result: winner
Zilveren Griffel
1998
Work: Mrs. Meyer the Bird
Organization: Gouden Griffel / Zilveren Griffel
Result: winner
Zilveren Griffel
1999
Work: Leonard
Organization: Gouden Griffel / Zilveren Griffel
Result: winner
Troisdorfer Pictures Book Prize
2000
Work: Das Neue ABC-Buch
Organization: Troisdorfer Bilderbuchpreis
Result: winner
Bologna Ragazzi Award
2000
Work: Das Neue ABC-Buch
Organization: Bologna Children's Book Fair
Result: winner
Gutenberg Prize of the City of Leipzig
2003
Organization: City of Leipzig
Result: recipient
Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis (special award for illustration)
2003
Work: Body of work (illustration)
Category: special
Organization: Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis
Result: special award
von der Heydt Award
2003
Organization: City of Wuppertal
Result: recipient
Bologna Ragazzi Award
2004
Work: The Big Question
Organization: Bologna Children's Book Fair
Result: winner
Hans Christian Andersen Medal (illustration)
2006
Work: Body of work (illustration)
Category: illustration
Organization: International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY)
Result: recipient
Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
2017
Organization: Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA)
Result: laureate

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Leonard

1991 Picture book

A partly autobiographical picture book inspired by Erlbruch's son Leonard, featuring eccentric and charming characters.

familyself-awarenessindividuality
Translations
  • Translated into Dutch
  • Translated into Norwegian

Das Bärenwunder (The Miracle of the Bears)

1992 Picture book

A fable-like picture book about bears combining humor with deeper themes through illustrations and story.

humorlifefamily
Translations
  • Translated into English

The Big Question

2005 Picture book

A philosophical picture book addressing big questions about life and existence for children.

existencephilosophylife and death
Translations
  • Translated into English

Duck, Death and the Tulip

2008 Picture book

A story of a duck who meets Death; personifies Death and gently explores themes of mortality.

deathfriendshipmeaning of life
Translations
  • Translated into multiple languages (including English)

The Fearsome Five

2009 Picture book

A humorous picture book about a supposedly fearsome five; has been adapted for the stage.

fearhumorimagination
Adaptations
  • [Stage] Stage adaptation of The Fearsome Five

The King and the Sea

2015 Picture book

A lyrical picture book about a king and the sea, notable for its symbolic depth and illustrative style.

lonelinessnaturesymbolism

Bibliography

  • Leonard (1991)
  • Das Bärenwunder (1992)
  • Das Neue ABC-Buch (2001)
  • The Big Question (2005)
  • Duck, Death and the Tulip (2008)
  • The Fearsome Five (2009)
  • The King and the Sea (2015)

Adaptations

  • Die fürchterlichen Fünf was adapted for the stage by Landestheater Tübingen

Translations of Works

  • Duck, Death and the Tulip translated into English and multiple other languages
  • Leonard translated into Dutch and Norwegian

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Uses collage and mixed-media techniquesIllustrations often show surrealist influences
Recurring Motifs
Characters wearing small round black glassesSkewed but recognizable character proportionsRecurring themes of death and life

Legacy

Internationally acclaimed for original illustrations and tackling deep themes of death and existence. Recipient of major awards including the Hans Christian Andersen Medal (2006) and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (2017); left a significant legacy in picture books.

Archives

  • Wolf Erlbruch Foundation (Wolf-Erlbruch-Stiftung)

In Popular Culture

  • Stage adaptation of The Fearsome Five and frequent references/imitations of his distinctive visual style.

Quotes

  • People should look at themselves from a distance and tolerate what is unique, strange, and sometimes not so pretty about themselves — in other words their peculiarities. This is what Erlbruch considers to be self-awareness.
    Source: Silke Schnettler, Die Welt (2003) (2003)

Trivia

  • In 2017 he became the first German winner of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.
  • Many characters in his books wear small round black glasses similar to those worn by Erlbruch himself.
  • Some of his picture books address challenging adult themes such as death and the meaning of life.