Raymond Briggs
“The Snowman” illustrator and author dies at 88
British illustrator Raymond Briggs wrote the children’s book The Snowman.
© imago/Landmark Media
British illustrator and author Raymond Briggs has died at the age of 88. He was world famous for his children’s book “The Snowman”.
The British illustrator and author of the children’s book “The Snowman”, Raymond Briggs (1934-2022), died on Tuesday morning at the age of 88. This was announced by his publisher Penguin Random House, citing Briggs’ family on Wednesday.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Raymond Briggs, creator of the seminal picture book ‘The Snowman’, the hilarious ‘Santa Claus’ series and (much, much) more. All of us who have had the privilege of working with him, will miss him” the publisher writes on Twitter.
“The Snowman” was first published as a picture book in 1978 and sold more than 5.5 million copies worldwide before being adapted into a popular cartoon in 1982. The series was produced for the British broadcaster Channel 4 and has been an integral part of the Christmas program ever since.
He collected children’s drawings
In a statement from his family, from among others Quoted from “Mail Online”.it sympathetically states: “We know that Raymond’s books have been loved by millions of people around the world and they will be saddened to hear this news. Drawings by fans – especially children’s drawings – inspired by his books, were guarded by Raymond and pinned to the wall of his studio.”
The statement continued: “Living a rich and fulfilling life, he said he was fortunate to have had in his life both his wife Jean and his partner Liz, who he has been with for over 40 years .” He was married to the painter Jean until her death in 1973 and with Liz, whom he met a few years later, until her death in 2016.
The love of nature, hiking in the South Downs and family holidays in Scotland and Wales were important to him. The same applies to “his sense of fun and craziness with his family and with his family of artist friends – at get-togethers, costume parties and summer picnics in the garden”.
artist through and through
Born in Wimbledon in 1934, Briggs studied at the Wimbledon School of Art and the Slade School of Fine Art before briefly turning to painting. After becoming a professional illustrator, he worked and taught illustration at Brighton College of Art.
He has won numerous awards throughout his career, including the Kurt Maschler Prize, The Children’s Book of the Year and the Dutch Silver Pen Award. In 2017 he was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to literature.