jean de brunhoff

Today we celebrate the birthdate of
Jean de Brunhoff

(9 December 1899 – 16 October 1937)

Often considered the father of the modern picture book, Jean de Brunhoff is best known as the creator of Babar the elephant. At the time of their publication in the 1930s, the stories were considered unique and even revolutionary. They were originally published as oversized volumes with the poetic text printed in cursive writing and the bright watercolour and line paintings in spacious double-page spreads. This format led children to immerse themselves in the books.

Born in Paris, on December 9, 1899, Brunhoff was the fourth and last child of Maurice de Brunhoff, a successful publisher, and his wife Marguerite. Jean attended Protestant schools, including the prestigious L’Ecole Alsacienne.

After graduation, Brunhoff joined the French army at the end of WWI and reached the front lines when the war was nearly over. Deciding to become a professional artist, he studied painting with Othon Friesz at the Acadamie de la Grand Chamiere in Montparnasse, producing landscapes, portraits, and still lifes.

In 1924, Brunhoff married Cecile Sabourand, a talented pianist from a Catholic family. The couple had three sons: Laurent, born in 1925; Mathieu, born in 1926; and Thierry, born in 1934.

In 1930, Cecile de Brunhoff invented a bedtime story about a little elephant to amuse four-year-old Matthieu, who was ill. Matthieu and Laurent related the tale to their father, who named the elephant, illustrated the tale, and expanded it into a book. Historie de Babar, le petit elephant was published in 1931. It appeared in English as The Story of Babar the Little Elephant in 1933. The immediate success of the book prompted Brunhoff to create more stories about Babar and his family, as well as a concept book featuring the characters: The Travels of Babar, 1934; Babar the King, 1935; ABC of Babar, 1936; Zephir’s Holidays, 1937; Babar and His Family, 1938; and Babar and Father Christmas, 1940.

Brunhoff died of tuberculosis in Switzerland on October 16, 1937, at the age of 37. After Brunhoff’s death, his eldest son Laurent revived the series with works of his own. Since that time, he has published more than 50 Babar books in several formats, largely as a way of keeping his father and his own childhood alive.