Marit Törnqvist
Marit Törnqvist (born January 19, 1964) is a Swedish-Dutch author, artist and illustrator. She was best known for her illustrations in the books of Astrid Lindgren.
Career
[edit]From 1982 to 1987 Törnqvist went to the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam.[1] In 1989 Marit Törnqvist illustrated her first book The Christmas Carp (Swedish: Julkarpen) with her mother. They created it after a visit to Prague during the Christmas season.[2]
At the same time Törnqvist applied in Sweden as an illustrator and the publishing house Raben & Sjögren in Stockholm asked her not only to make the illustrations to the Christmas Carp but also to make a picturebook with Astrid Lindgren. Her first Lindgren book was published in 1989 När Bäckhultarn for till stan.[3] She soon worked closely with the Swedish author and made several books with her.[4]
In 1995, Törnqvist wrote and illustrated the book A Small story about Love (Swedish: Liten berättelse om kärlek). In 1996, it was awarded with the Dutch literary prize Zilveren Griffel.[5]
Törnqvist has two daughters.[6] She professionally and privately supports refugees, including offering housing to rejected asylum seekers.[7][8]
Personal life
[edit]Marit Törnqvist is the daughter of Egil Törnqvist, a professor of Scandinavian Studies at the University of Amsterdam and an academic literary critic. Her mother is author and translator Rita Törnqvist Verschuur.
Törnqvist moved to the Netherlands at the age of five.[9] Her mother translated the books of Astrid Lindgren into Dutch. Thus, Törnqvist grew up with Lindgren's literature.
Törnqvist divides her place of residence between Amsterdam and Östergötland. She was widowed in 2024.[8][10]
Works (selection)
[edit]As an illustrator
[edit]Illustrated Astrid Lindgren books
[edit]- A Calf for Christmas (När Bäckhultarn for till stan, 1989)
- The Day Adam Got Mad (När Adam Engelbrekt blev tvärarg, 1991)
- In the Land of Twilight (I skymningslandet, 1994)
- The Red Bird (Sunnanäng, 2003)[11]
- The Story Journey From Junedale to Nangilima (Sagoresan, 2006)
- Alla ska sova (2019)
Further works
[edit]- The Christmas Carp (Julkarpen, 1989, together with her mother Rita Törnqvist Verschuur)
- Bigger than a dream (Större än en dröm, 2013, author: Jef Aerts)
- Jij bent de herrste (2014, authors: Hans Hagen and Monique Hagen)
- Helden op sokken (1988, author: Annie Keuper-Makkink)
- Een verhaal voor Hizzel (1994, author: Klaas van Assen)
As an author
[edit]- Small Story about love (Liten berättelse om kärlek, 1995)[12]
- Blowing bubbles in Burundi (Bellen blazen in Burundi, 2007)
- What nobody expected (Wat niemand had verwacht, 2009)
- Charlie's Magical Carnival (2014)
- The island of happiness (Het gelukkige eiland, 2016)
Awards and nominations
[edit]Awards
[edit]- 2006: Pikkuhenki
- 2018: Het gelukkige eiland[14]
Nominations
[edit]- 2016: short list[15]
Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
- 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
References
[edit]- ^ "Illustratrice Marit Törnqvist geeft workshop voor kinderen".
- ^ "Marit & Rita Törnqvist, 'Thomas en de kerstkarper'. Stemmig kerstverhaal in woord en beeld".
- ^ Annemieke van Dongen. "'Het paard van Pippi Langkous werd gedrogeerd'".
- ^ "Het onbekende verhaal van Astrid Lindgren".
- ^ a b "Törnqvist, Marit".
- ^ "Gevlucht uit Afghanistan, nu verstopt bij een Zweeds gezin".
- ^ "Een boek voor jou".
- ^ a b Houtekamer, Carola (2025-07-06). "Schrijver Marit Törnqvist bood acht Afghaanse jongens onderdak. 'Als je illegaal verblijf strafbaar stelt, valt er ook wat te klikken'". NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-07-08.
- ^ "Swedish illustrator Marit Törnqvist joins Iranian artists for Tehran showcase".
- ^ Koelewijn, Rinskje (2013-02-09). "'Ik ben extreem langzaam'". NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-07-08.
- ^ Swantje Thiele. "Lindgren, Astrid: Sonnenau".
- ^ "Eine kleine Liebesgeschichte".
- ^ Eline Lohman. "Marit Törnqvist komt naar Zwijndrecht".
- ^ "Annet Schaap en Marit Törnqvist winnaars op Boekenbeurs".
- ^ "Pressler und Berner in der Endrunde".
- Swedish children's book illustrators
- Swedish women children's book illustrators
- 1964 births
- Living people
- Writers from Uppsala
- 20th-century Swedish illustrators
- 21st-century Swedish illustrators
- Artists from Amsterdam
- Swedish emigrants to the Netherlands
- Swedish fantasy artists
- Dutch fantasy artists
- Swedish fantasy illustrators
- 20th-century Dutch women artists
- 21st-century Dutch women artists
- 20th-century Swedish women artists
- 21st-century Swedish women artists
- Boekenpauw winners
- Gouden Penseel winners
- Artists from Uppsala