In Memorium: The Great Étienne Delessert Passes Away
My friend died recently. I wonder if you knew him.
I need to trace this back a bit. I first met Étienne after I had posted a piece on this blog, probably sometime around 2010 or so, discussing the state of imported children’s literature in the United States. After it came out, Delessert created a truly magnificent program at The New School called Where the Wild Books Are, featuring a series of incredible speakers. I remember multiple discussions of various editions of Pinocchio, and talks from everyone from Steve Guarnaccia (whom I saw in Bologna just last year) to Leonard Marcus:



He knew everyone. Friends with Eric Carle and Tomi Ungerer. Expert on international children’s literature. On occasion he’d just call me up. “It’s Étienne,” he’d begin, and I’d settle in. A call from him always dove deep into a serious consideration of children’s illustration that I simply couldn’t find anywhere else. And from our talks he allowed me write various pieces about him and his work. There was “I’m really what they call in the States ‘outsider art’.” The Work of Etienne Delessert in 2011. Breaking the Wall of Narrow Nationalism: A Talk With Etienne Delessert in 2019. There was a piece on his exhibit The Birth of Les Maitres de l’Imaginaire and the Vast Importance of International Children’s Book Art from 2019 and the exhibit itself in The Foundation Les Maitres de l’Imaginaire Exhibits in China from 2020.
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2020 would be the last time I’d write about him or his work. Étienne suffered a stroke in 2023. He died just this week on April 22nd. He was 83. I thank Chris Sheban for letting me know.

I started looking at information about Étienne’s life when I heard. Some of it I already knew. How he was a self-taught Swiss artist who was a finalist for the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award in both 2006 and 2010. I knew that his wife was Rita Marshall, the art director and chief designer of Creative Company. I knew that he’d collaborated with Eugène Ionesco in the past (who once said of him, “…Delessert discovers beauty, a sort of grandiose evolution of beings and objects in colour and through colour”), but some things surprised me. I didn’t know about his work with child psychologist Jean Piaget. Nor did I know that he’d animated segments for Sesame Street (including a book based on the lyrics to “Being Green”). Nor did I know that he’d created the animated series Yok Yok for Swiss television. He won thirteen gold and fourteen silver medals of the American Society of Illustrators as well as the 1996 Hamilton King Award. But that’s just a sampling. His honors simply went on and on and on, some of which you can read about here.
And I rather love this retrospective of his life:
Etienne Delessert – Retrospective Presentation, April 2021 from Adrien Delessert on Vimeo.
And this interview:
I miss our phone calls. And I don’t like knowing that I’ll never be surprised by one again.
Please take a look at this feature and this interview Étienne conducted, both on Seven Impossible Things back in 2011. The pieces include great swaths of his art, which I hope you have some time to look at and enjoy.
The interview ends with this conversation:
Jules: If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Étienne: First, I am not sure that Heaven exists. Or angels. If angels exist, then they should look like old, tired, very wise people, who know everything about love and sorrow. And do not look like the retouched, botoxed angels of the Renaissance.
God? He naps too often.
I’ll be there soon. I’ll let you know.
Filed under: Obits

About Betsy Bird
Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Horn Book, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on Twitter: @fuseeight.
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I’m celebrating with you that this individual was your friend and grateful that today you shared so many things about him and your experiences together. I’m looking forward to exploring all of your links. I’ve said it before, Betsy, “heaven” better include a library of every great book published for children and time to read or I’m not going. Today I’m adding one more requirement . . . time to spend with everyone involved in creation of the literature and its promotion. You are included, for sure!
I am so sorry to hear of the death of dear Étienne Delessert. I knew him well. A true gentleman of the old school who possessed such rich artistic and intellectual gifts. We had wonderful discussions of the state of picture books around the world. His bright continental wit greatly enlivened them. He was dedicated to only the best for children through the seductive grace and vitality of his own shimmering art.. He will be sorely missed.
Thank you, Michael.