Max Velthuijs (1923–2005) was a Dutch painter, illustrator and author. He was one of the most famous children's illustrators in the Netherlands. In 2004 he received the Hans Christian Andersen Award for illustrators.
Velthuijs was born in The Hague on 22 May 1923. During World War II, he sometimes assisted Jan Gregoor in forging stamps for the Dutch resistance in identity papers of people in hiding.
A productive commercial artist, his first children's book commission as an illustrator was relatively late in his career in 1962, for Versjes die wij nooit vergeten / Rhymes we will never forget. This was followed two years later by A is een aapje / A is for Monkey, the success of which established his international name as a children's book illustrator. However he is most remembered for his Frog picture books, beginning with Frog in Love (Andersen Press 1989) which gained global recognition. In 2003 they were also adapted into a children's play by David Farmer (Frog in Love), performed by the Tiebreak Theatre Company at Norwich Playhouse.
He died in The Hague, his native city, on 25 January 2005.
Famous quotes containing the word max:
“Granddaddy used to handle snakes in church. Granny drank strychnine. I guess you could say I had a leg up, genetically speaking.”
—Wesley Strick, U.S. screenwriter, and Martin Scorsese. Max Cady (Robert DeNiro)