Meine Illustren Begegnungen (which translates to My Illustrious Encounters) is a book published by Heider Verlag in Germany on the 4th of November 2024. The book is written by Hans-Martin Heider, an autobiographical style book that delves into his personal interactions with prominent illustrators, including Klaus Dill, Renato Casaro, Hansrudi Wäscher and more. It offers a glimpse into the world of illustration, particularly focusing on themes related to the Wild West.
Born in 1961 in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany, Hans-Martin Heider grew up with a profound interest in illustrations and the adventurous tales of the American Wild West. This fascination can be traced back to his Italian grandfather, who introduced young Heider to American Western films in local cinemas during his early childhood. In 1969, like many of his contemporaries, Heider discovered the popular Bessy comics from the Bastei Verlag. He was particularly captivated by the cover illustrations of the legendary poster artist Klaus Dill, often replicating these images in his own drawings.
A serendipitous encounter in 1996 led Heider to meet Klaus Dill, marking the beginning of a series of illustrious interactions with other notable artists. At that time, Heider was already immersed in his professional career, serving as the managing director of the family-owned printing and publishing house, Joh. Heider Verlag. This position allowed him to seamlessly blend his professional endeavors with his personal passion for art and illustration.
Meine illustren Begegnungen is structured around Heider’s personal experiences with these artists. Each chapter is enriched with photographs and showcases rare, sometimes previously unpublished works of the featured illustrators. This approach not only highlights the artists’ contributions but also sheds light on the often-overlooked profession of commercial illustrators, who have captivated millions with their creations while frequently remaining anonymous.
Meine Illustren Begegnungen is a hardcover book which contains 200 color pages measuring 17cm x 24cm printed with German text. The book offers readers an intimate glimpse into the world of illustration, particularly focusing on themes related to the Wild West. Amongst the array of comic book characters featured on the front cover, the Phantom can be seen, an illustration by Ertuğrul Edirne.
Advertisements for the book describe it as:
Hans-Martin Heider was born in Bergisch Gladbach in 1961. The long-time managing director of the printing and publishing house of the same name was interested in illustrations and adventures from the world of the Wild West from an early age. This may have originated with his Italian grandfather, who, as a preschooler in Italy, took him to the local cinema to see American Western films. As a child in 1969, like so many of his contemporaries, he discovered the then-popular Bessy comics from Bastei Verlag. He was particularly fascinated by the cover illustrations of the legendary poster artist Klaus Dill, which he often copied as a child. When he met the artist by chance in 1996, he was already in the middle of his professional life. Here he was able to successfully combine work and hobby and publish his first publications about “the painter of his childhood.” This led to a series of illustrious encounters with other artists and commercial artists.
In this book, the author provides a very personal account of his encounters with Klaus Dill, Renato Casaro, and Hansrudi Wäscher, among others. Each chapter is illustrated with photographs and rare, sometimes unpublished, works by the artists.
Thus, this book could provide the recognition it deserves for a professional group that has captivated millions of people with its work, while remaining largely anonymous.
Meine Illustren Begegnungen serves as a heartfelt homage to prominent illustrators Hans-Martin Heider has had encounters with, offering readers an authentic and personal narrative that intertwines his life with the evolution of illustration art. Through his storytelling, Heider emphasizes the significance of recognizing and appreciating the artists behind the visuals that have shaped popular culture, particularly in the realm of Western-themed media.
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