Lisbeth Zwerger


Lisbeth Zwerger is an Austrian illustrator of children's books. For her "lasting contribution to children's literature" she received the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1990.
Zwerger was born in Vienna in 1954. She studied 1971 to 1974 at the Applied Arts Academy of Vienna, but left before completing the course of studies. She married English artist John Rowe. Since the publication of her first illustrated book in 1977 she has worked as a freelance picture book illustrator in Vienna, specializing in fairy tales.
Michael Neugebauer Verlag published Zwerger's first book, Das Fremde Kind in 1977. Zwerger continued to work with Neugebauer, who also occasionally contributed to the lettering and book design.
Her style is similar to that of English illustrators of the 19th century and she acknowledges being influenced by the work of Arthur Rackham.

Awards

The biennial Hans Christian Andersen Award conferred by the International Board on Books for Young People is the highest recognition available to a writer or illustrator of children's books. Zwerger received the illustration award in 1990. She has also been honored at the Bologna International Children's Book Fair and the Biennial of Illustrators at Bratislava.
She won a Silver Brush in 2000 for her illustration of Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.
  • Österreichischer Kunstpreis - Kinder- und Jugendliteratur, 1998
  • H.C. Andersen Prize "Mit Livs Eventyr", 2011.
  • Großer Preis 2012, awarded by Die Deutsche Akademie für Kinder- und Jugendliteratur.
  • Rattenfänger-Literaturpreis 1994

Exhibitions

Zwerger's work has been exhibited worldwide.
  • Salzburg Toy Museum, 1979
  • Klingspor Museum/Offenbach, 1983
  • Otani Memorial Art Museum/Nishinomiya, 1987
  • Sembikiya Gallery/Tokyo, 1987
  • Sano Gallery/Mishima, 1987
  • Museo Civico, Bologna, 1990
  • Paris Espace Saint-Ouen, 1991
  • Bratislava, 1991
  • International Book Fair/Taipei, 1992
  • Franz Meier Museum/Mexico City, 1993

Published books