The story was born at home: his wife told it to their children, he put it into pictures. Large pages, handwritten text woven into the drawing, flat planes of bold colour. Five albums in six years, then tuberculosis, at thirty-seven; two more appeared after his death. Babar's name appears nowhere on his stone.
The story
Jean de Brunhoff was born on 9 December 1899. Trained as a painter, he worked in a family where publishing and fashion crossed — his brother would go on to run French “Vogue”.
The story began at home: his wife Cécile told their children the adventures of a small elephant. He put it into pictures. It appeared in 1931 from the Éditions du Jardin des modes, as a large-format album of forty-eight pages.
The format was a revolution: big pages, a handwritten text set into the drawing, flat areas of frank colour. Nothing in children's illustration had looked like that before him, and a great deal of what followed comes down from it.
He published five albums in his lifetime, in six years — “The Travels of Babar”, “Babar the King”, “Zephir's Holidays”. Then tuberculosis caught up with him; two more would appear after his death.
He died on 16 October 1937, at thirty-seven, and lies in Division 65 in the grave of the Leclercq family. His son Laurent de Brunhoff took the series up and carried it on for more than sixty years.
The grave
The grave bears at its head “Famille Leclercq”, his wife's family, and gathers several generations. The illustrator's inscription gives his two dates in full: “Jean de Brunhoff, 9 décembre 1899, 16 octobre 1937” — thirty-seven years. Just below, that of his brother Jacques de Brunhoff, also born on a 9 December, eleven years earlier, and dead in 1973. Nothing points to Babar: the name of the best-known elephant in children's literature does not appear on the grave of the man who drew him.
On site, do not miss
Another family's name at the head of the stone — Leclercq — and, beneath it, two de Brunhoff brothers born on the same day of December.
Visitors' questions
Where is Jean de Brunhoff's grave?
In Division 65, avenue Circulaire, fifteenth row, in the upper, eastern part of the cemetery. The grave is headed by the name of the Leclercq family and brings together several members of the de Brunhoffs.
Marie LaurencinWho invented Babar?
His wife Cécile, telling their children the story of a little elephant; he drew it. The tale appeared in 1931 from the Éditions du Jardin des modes, as a large-format picture book of forty-eight pages.
Gustave DoréHow many books did he publish?
Seven in his lifetime, in six years — including “Le Roi Babar”, “Le Voyage de Babar” and “Babar en famille”. His son Laurent took over the series after his death and carried it on for more than sixty years.
Gustave CaillebotteWhat did he change in children's illustration?
The format: big pages, handwritten text woven into the drawing, flat blocks of bold colour. Nothing looked like it before 1931, and a good part of the modern picture book descends from it.
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