René Mettler

René Mettler (1942) was awarded the 2012 Prize for Science Books for Teenagers in Paris. He traces his artistic roots to a heraldic grandfather. After graduating from the School of Applied Arts in Bienne, Paris beckoned in 1966.  Starting initially in art direction in department stores and advertising agencies we went to work for a design studio. During a visit to London in 1971 he fell in love with illustration, leading him to devote himself to the craft. From 1985 he worked with Gallimard Jeunesse as an illustrator and author on a trove of non-fiction titles, winning multiple awards for his magnum opus, Le grand livre de l’arbre et de la forêt (The Great Book of Trees and Forests).