Raymond Briggs: A Retrospective – The Bowes Museum

‘[To be an illustrator] you have to be a mini actor. If the figure is to walk jauntily with its nose in the air, you have to imagine what that feels like. You have to be the person and observe the person, and do both these things at once. – Raymond Briggs.

Raymond Briggs: A Retrospective is the first ever exhibition dedicated to the author-illustrator behind some of the most popular and influential children’s books and graphic novels ever published – including The Snowman (1980) and pioneering graphic novel, Ethel & Ernest (1998).

This long-awaited retrospective shows never-before-seen material from Briggs’ personal archive, revealing the origins of iconic titles that have become household favourites, literary classics and international phenomena. With original artwork from publications, the exhibition celebrates Briggs as an exceptional draughtsman, typographer, storyteller and innovator.

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