Severino Baraldi (10 December 1930 - 21 November 2023; Lombardy, Italy)
Severino Baraldi was an accomplished Italian illustrator. Known for the quality and quantity of the panels painted during his very long career, he is placed by critics at the top of Italian illustration, together with Achille Beltrame and Walter Molino, who were his first artistic points of reference. Overall it is estimated that he illustrated more than two hundred and twenty books and published over eight thousand drawings.

Severino Baraldi was born in Sermide, a small village 50 kilometres from Mantova in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. As a boy, he entertained customers of the local barber by with his chalk drawings on the pavement. He worked as a carpenter, drawing cartoons for a local paper whose editor encouraged him to seek his fortune in the capital of the Lombardy region.

1962-63 was a major era for Baraldi with the publication of Ulisse ('Ulysses'), adapted from 'The Odyssey' by Gino Fischer, Lo Schianccianoci, based on the work by E. T. A. Hoffman, and Ciuffo Biondo, an adaptation of Peer Gynt by Anna Maria De Benedetti. Ulisse and Ciuffo Biono were praised by the reviewer for Radiotelevisione Italiana for their elegant illustrations, which helped to establish the name of the artist who often signed his work with the abbreviation Bar. At the same time, Baraldi was illustrating the story of Marco Polo and, for Milan publisher Casa Editirice, a variety of other books for children.

For seven years, Baraldi was also a prolific illustrator for the British magazine Look and Learn. More recently, Baraldi illustrated biographies of musicians Dvorak and Verdi for a publisher in Taiwan.

In all, Baraldi has contributed to over 220 books and produced 7,500 illustrations. The village of Sermide dedicated an exhibition to his work in June 1997. He continued to work for Famiglia Cristiana and Il Giornalino until retiring a few years ago. A family man, his passing in November 2023 leaves three daughters and six grandchildren.
Source: Illustration Art Gallery