JÓZEF WILKOŃ (born in 1930)

Polish illustrator, painter and art historian. He studied at the Faculty of Painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow (diploma in 1955) and at the Faculty of Art History at Jagiellonian University. He illustrated over 200 books for children and adults published in Poland and abroad.

Gallery of Katarzyna Napiorkowska
Warsaw & Brussels

1959 – Gold Medal at the IBA International Exhibition of Editorial Art, Leipzig (Germany)
1964/1966 – Deutschen Jugendliteraturpreis (Germany), nominations in the Bilderbuch category
1967 – Award of the Minister of Culture and Art and the National Award for achievements in the field of book illustration
1969 – Gold Medal at the Illustration Biennale in Bratislava BIB (Slovakia)
1970, 1973 – Srebrne Koziołki (Silver Goats) at the Biennale of Art for Children (Poznań)
1973 – Award at the Biennale of Illustrations in Bratislava BIB and Medal of the National Education Commission for artistic work for children
1974 – Prime Minister’s Award for works for children and Gold Medal at the International Book Exhibition in Moscow
1975 – Premio Europeo, Padua (Italy)
1977 – Złote Koziołki (Golden Goats) at the Biennale of Art for Children (Poznań)
1980 – “Loisirs Jeunes” diploma for the best illustrated foreign book, Paris (France) and Premio Grafico at the International Children’s Book Fair, Bologna (Italy)
1984 – The Owl Prize, Tokyo (Japan)
1959, 1961, 1964, 1970, 1973, 1974 – The Most Beautiful Book of the Year. PTWK awards
1987 – PTWK Special Award for lifetime achievement
1991 – Grand Prix (Totem Album), Montreuil (France) and Premio Grafico at the International Children’s Book Fair, Bologna, Italy
1998 – Andersen Premio, Geneva (Switzerland)
2000 – Graine de Lecteurs 2000, Arles (France)
2002 – Medal – award of the Polish Section of IBBY for lifetime achievement
2005 – Award of the Minister of Culture
2006 – Gold Medal for Merit to Culture Gloria Artis
2007 – TVP Kultura Award for the exhibition “The Ark of Wilkon” at the Zachęta National Art Gallery in Warsaw
2008 – Honorary Award – Book of the Year 2007 of the Polish Section of IBBY
2009 – Nomination of the Internationale Jugendbibliothek for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
2010 – Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta
2010 – Award of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage
2010 – Pegazik Award in the Children’s Book Creator category
2010 – PTWK Award for outstanding illustrations to Rudyard Kipling’s book The Jungle Book
2010 – Golden Scepter, award of the Polish Culture Foundation
2012 – PTWK Award for the Most Beautiful Book of the Year 2011 for “Psie zycie” (“Dog’s Life”)
2013 – Bronze medal for the book Dog Life in the Best Designed Books from all over the World competition
2014 – Award of the Presidential Couple for Józef Wilkoń for outstanding achievements in creativity for children and youth 2015 – honorary citizen of the City and Commune of Piaseczno
2015 – Award of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage
2016 – Man of the Year Award according to the Literary Magazine Book
2017- Honorary badge of the Royal Mining Free City of Wieliczka.
2017 – ZAiKS Award for works for children
2018 – Nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
2019 – The Pearl of the Wieliczka District Award
2019- Commander’s Cross of the Order awarded by King Felipe VI of Spain

Józef Wilkoń’s works can be found, among others, in The Museum of Illustrations in Moulin, France, the Museum of Picture Books in Oshima, the Chihiro Art Museum in Azumino, Koruisaua, Japan, and the Museum of Literature and the National Library in Warsaw.

Józef Wilkoń’s works can be purchased at the Katarzyna Napiórkowska Art Galleries in Warsaw and Brussels, as well as in the online gallery www.tylkosztuka.pl.