Harald Wiberg (1 March 1908 – 15 August 1986) was a Swedish writer, artist and illustrator. He was best known for his illustrations in the books about Tomten and of Astrid Lindgren.
Wiberg was born in Ankarsrum in 1908. He attended the Stockholm College of Drama (Stockholms dramatiska högskola).[1] Later he also studied in France and Italy. Most of his illustrations show Scandinavian landscapes, animals and traditional mythological figures.[2] In the 1960s, he became known in Sweden through his appearances in the nature documentary show Korsnäsgårde.[3] He became known internationally through his illustrations of the Tomten books: Tomten (1961) and Tomten and the Fox (1965). In the Swedish edition of these works, Wiberg's illustrations were published next to the original poems by Viktor Rydberg and Karl-Erik Forsslund. In the international editions the illustration appeared next to a text written by Astrid Lindgren, based on the poems and the illustrations.[4] The success of these works prompted Wiberg to write and illustrate his own Tomten book entitled Gammaldags jul. The book was translated into English (Christmas at the tomten's farm). Another work by Viktor Rydberg, Björn's Advent on Christmas Eve (Lille Viggs äventyr på julafton, 1980) was also illustrated by Wiberg. In 1976 he received the Elsa Beskow badge for his illustrations in the book The big snowstorm (Den stora snöstuellen, 1975). On August 15, 1986, he died in Falköping.[3]
| Year | English Title | Swedish Title | Author | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | – | Djur i naturen (1948) | Harald Wiberg | |
| 1961 | The world's strangest animals | Världens underligaste djur (1957) | Åke Löfgren | |
| 1961 | The Tomten | Tomten är vaken | Astrid Lindgren | |
| 1962 | Christmas in the Stable | Jul i stallet (1961) | Astrid Lindgren | |
| 1968 | The bears of Big stream valley | Björnarna i Storådalen (1960) | Edor Burman | |
| 1964 | Benjamin has a birthday | Lill-Olle och sommardagen (1962) | Hans Peterson | |
| 1968 | Three wolverines of Rushing Valle | Storbjörnen (1960) | Edor Burman | |
| 1965 | The Tomten and the Fox | Räven och tomten | Astrid Lindgren | |
| 1968 | Christmas at the tomten's farm | Gammaldags jul (1967) | Harald Wiberg | |
| – | – | Djur och landskap (1969) | Harald Wiberg | |
| 1970 | When Peter Was Lost in the Forest | När Per gick vilse i skogen (1969) | Hans Peterson | |
| 1970 | Dogs of the world | Hundar i färg (1966) | Ivan Swedrup | |
| 1975 | The big snowstorm | Den stora snöstormen (1975) | Hans Peterson | |
| 1981 | The Christmas Tomten | Lille Viggs äventyr på julafton (1980) | Viktor Rydberg |