ART OF THE BOOK
ILLUSTRATION ART ~ SIGNED & RARE BOOKS
CELEBRATING THIRTY YEARS OF GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU, WITH ANITA JERAM
As I recall the oldest word for 'unconditional love' was inscribed by the Greeks as far back as Homer, with the word ‘agape’, to which the loose meaning of ‘affection' is intimated rather than explicitly identified. As with all words and phrases over the centuries new and diverse meanings evolve and attach themselves to such lexical manifestations. More recently such an example has come about with the word ‘Zoom’, now commonly understood to imply attendance at a meeting without wearing one’s trousers – albeit in a virtual context thankfully.
In much the same way I have heard, on occasion, the term ‘to the moon and back’, spoken to imply a deep personal, amicable, even self-sacrificial love - particularly relating a parent to a child. I don’t think it would be unfair to say that this seemingly innocent phrase has now entered the international English lexicon, with its familiar register expressing 'unconditional love'. To influence the linguistic use of approximately one billion of the world’s population is no minor achievement, yet this short, charming picture book has had a profound effect. Surely a sign of the magic that Guess How Much I Love You has weaved through the jungle of race, nationality and religious demographic of our world. This achievement far outweighs the drier statistic that this children’s picture book has sold now over 55 million copies – and counting – and is translated into 57 languages, as well as launching a family of associated titles, an extensive merchandising industry visible on almost on every street corner, as well as a short-animated film. Putting this into context further these figures even give a number of the Harry Potter books a run for their money at their most frenzied and fervent peak. No mean feat I would say, and achieved in a wonderfully quiet, modest, yet powerfully seismic manner.
That in itself sums up the book, and more so its creators, author Sam McBratney and illustrator Anita Jeram. I never met Sam McBratney, who sadly passed away in 2020, but understand him to have been a delightful man, with words and phrases such as ‘humble’, ‘convivial companion’ and ‘profoundly lovely human being’, used to describe him - reading this tale it does not come as much of a surprise. It was Walker Books, back in 1994, that paired him with the youthful and recently graduated Anita, in a masterstroke that formed one of the great enduring picture book partnerships of the last 30 years, whose skill, ease and talent have danced their way in to our hearts, not unlike Fred and Ginger.
I have worked with Anita since 1995, the year after Guess How Much I Love You was first published, and it has been a pleasure to have done so. Equally humble, charming and a delight to work alongside as she is, I count myself lucky to be one of the few people to have actually met her. Fiendishly reclusive, she rarely steps out of her adopted Northern Ireland, but on one occasion, at the turn of the millennium, she travelled to London visiting one of my annual winter exhibitions. It is a meeting I remember clearly and one which I cherish greatly. The enduring fame of these now world-famous books has not had the slightest effect upon her these past three decades, and she remains peacefully at home enjoying a quiet private life with her family, surrounded by her menagerie of animals.
I am deeply indebted to Anita for looking out some of the remaining original watercolours and drawings she produced for the Guess series of books, passing them on to us at Art of the Book for this Cabinet Exhibition, now viewing on our website. These elegant and skillfully executed works capture the essence of Guess How Much I Love You, with their warmth and charm. With the published artwork of the original book ear-marked for museum donation these working watercolours represent some of the few remaining original works available to the enthusiast and collector, offering an unrivalled opportunity to acquire significant cultural artifacts of our collective cultural heritage, and of genuinely global influence. Celebrating 30 Years of Guess How Much I Love You is on view online at Art of the Book, from October 23rd. All work is available for purchase, and each comes with a certificate of authenticity signed by Anita Jeram.
Scroll down to view the artwork.
