Elephants, Whales & Kangaroos

In his childhood, Tomi Ungerer was accustomed to draw and sketch in notebooks. He often drew from nature, showing a keen sense of observation of the world around him. Having reached adulthood, he continued to engage in this exercise essential for an artist to master his trait. In the 1960s, when he lived in New York, he filled many sketchbooks in preparation of his satirical drawings and work in advertising. Among other topics, they contain sketches of animals featuring human characteristics in the tradition of fabulists to serve as support to social satire. These three thin volumes feature drawings of elephants, whales, kangaroos and a handful of camels selected from one of these sketchbooks.

Tomi Ungerer is considered one of the most brilliant draftsman and illustrator of the twentieth century. Born in Strasbourg in 1931, he has continued his diverse and prolific career since 1957, marked by boldness and freedom of expression in the fields of advertising, children’s books and satire. His children’s books have become classics of the genre, honoured by the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen prize. The Three Robbers, Zeralda’s Ogre and The Beast of Monsieur Racine among others have overturned taboos in children’s literature.