Quint Buchholz was born in Stolberg near Aachen in 1957 and grew up in Stuttgart. He studied history of art for four terms, followed by painting and graphic design at the Munich Academy of Art under Prof. Gerd Winner.

He has worked as a painter and illustrator since 1979, illustrating over fourty books for German and international publishers. From 1982 onwards his works have also been exhibited in over seventy solo exhibitions in Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, Greece and Taiwan.

In recent years he has also worked as a stage painter, creating sets for The Golem in 2005 and Caligula in 2007, both of which were staged by Jochen Schölch for the Metropoltheater in Munich.

In 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2017 Quint Buchholz ran the Illustration workshop at the Kunst leben (Live Art) summer school in Kloster Irsee. In addition to that he occasionally runs courses at the Bad Reichenhall Art Academy and at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kolbermoor.

At the end of 2008 a theatrical interpertation of The Collector of Moments opened at the Theâtre de Cornouaille in Quimper, Brittany, directed by Jacques Nichet and with Jacques Echantillon in the lead role. The production then went on tour to nine other French cities.

A German production of Der Sammler der Augenblicke (The Collector of Moments) opened in March 2011 at the Munich Metropoltheater, directed by Jochen Schölch. After fourteen sold out performances it returned to the theatre in November 2011. Since December 2013 it has been a regular part of the Munich Metropol Theater’s program.  

Quint Buchholz is married, he is the father of three children and lives in Munich, Germany.

“The Bliss of Slowness“ published by Gütersloher Verlagshaus

2018

„Eyes CLOSED? Eyes OPEN! Night in Picture Books“ exhibition at the Gasteig Library, as part of the 59th annual Munich Book Show, with Miro Poferl, Susanne Straßer and Britta Teckentrup

Special Guest at the picture book festival “Čigra“ in Požega, Serbia (cooperation between Požega City Library and Goethe Institute Serbia)

Participation in the artists’ talk “Meeting the City of Your Dreams” at the Munich Theater of the Youth / Schauburg, broadcast live by station Radio LORA

„Lights Out! Night in Picture Books“ exhibition at the Rosenheim City Gallery (participation)

2017

“Sun, Moon and Evening Star” (“Sonne, Mond und Abendstern”), an illustrated collection of nighttime songs, stories and poems by Dorothée Kreusch-Jacob and Quint Buchholz, is published by Hanser

Special guest at the picture book festival “Ovca u kutiji“ (“Sheep in a Box“) in Pazin and Pula, Croatia (organised by the Goethe Institute Croatia)

“Cuckoo! Animals in Picturebooks“ (“Zum Kuckuck! Tiere im Bilderbuch”) exhibition at the Rosenheim City Gallery (participation)

Exhibitions, readings and workshops at the German-French Cultural Exchange Center (Maison de Rhénanie-Palatinat), Dijon and at the Media Library Médialude, St. Apollinaire (organized by the Goethe Institute Nancy)

“BookPictureBook” („BuchBilderBuch“) receives an award for being one of the “libros mejor editados en 2016” (best-edited books of the year 2016) from the Spanish Department of Education, Culture and Sports

2016

“Eye Music” („Augenmusik“): Two concerts organized by the Munich-based chamber choir ensemble Canzone11, featuring an animated picture show by Quint Buchholz

“Magic Words” („Zauberworte“): A book of 43 pictures and 43 words

2015

„Premio Letteratura Ragazzi 36“, Premio Speciale Albo Illustrato (Italian Special Award for Best Illustrated Children’s Book) for „Nel paese dei Libri“ (“In the Land of Books”)

Pictures for “The Snail Who Discovered the Importance of Being Slow” („Der langsame Weg zum Glück – ein Schneckenabenteuer“) by Luis Sepúlveda

Illustrations for “A Guest Cat” („Der Gast im Garten“), a novel by Takashi Hiraide

2014

“The Alchemy of Snow”, a book by the Russian clown Slava Polunin, featuring 27 pictures by Quint Buchholz, is published in Moscow and London

Several workshops, lectures and readings in Bogotá and Medellín, Colombia

“You Put My Feet on a Large Expanse” („Du stellst meine Füße auf weiten Raum“), Exhibition at St.Michael’s Church (Michaelskirche) in Ottobrunn, Munich area

“The Collector of Moments” („Der Sammler der Augenblicke“), Exhibition at Wackerbarth Castle in Radebeul

“Time in Picture Books” („Zeit im Bilderbuch”), Exhibition at the Alps-Adriatic Sea Gallery in Klagenfurt, Austria, in cooperation with Lisbeth Zwerger and Willy Puchner

2013

“In the Land of Books” („Im Land der Bücher“), pictures and text by Quint Buchholz

“Of Yearning and Mystery” („Von Sehnsucht und Geheimnis“), Exhibition at the Heilsbronn Monastery’s Center for Religious Education

2012

“Quint’s Life of Animals” („Quints Tierleben“), featuring texts by various authors

2011

“The Collector of Moments („Der Sammler der Augenblicke“) is turned into a play at the Munich Metropoltheater, starring Gerd Lohmeyer and directed by Jochen Schölch

First workshop at the Bad Reichenhall Art Academy

2010

“The Bible in Pictures by Quint Buchholz” („Die Bibel in Bildern von Quint Buchholz“) is published

2008

„Le Collectionneur d’Instants“ (“The Collector of Moments”) is played at the Théâtre de Cornouaille in Quimper, Bretagne, starring Jacques Echantillon and directed by Jacques Nichet

First workshop for the Swabian Summer of Art at Irsee Monastery

2007

Illustrations for “George’s Secret Key to the Universe” („Der geheime Schlüssel zum Universum“) by Lucy and Stephen Hawking

Set decorations for „Caligula“, played at Munich Metropoltheater and directed by Jochen Schölch

Exhibition in the International Youth Library of Blutenburg Castle, Munich

2005

Set decorations for „The Golem“, played at Munich Metropoltheater and directed by Jochen Schölch

2003

Exhibiton at Literaturhaus Hamburg

2002/03

Exhibition at the Wilhelm Busch Museum in Hannover, in cooperation with Binette Schroeder

2001/02

Creation of a series of about thirty box installations and “found object” sculptures.

2001

“Catching the Moonlight” („Wer das Mondlicht fängt“); Michael Krüger writes stories on pictures by Quint Buchholz

2000

Mildred L. Batchelder Award (American Honorary Prize for Best Foreign Children’s Book) for “The Collector of Moments“

1999/2000

Exhibition at Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taiwan

Workshop in Taipei, Taiwan

1999

“Prix Enfantaisie“ Award for Best Children’s Book of the Year, for “Le Collectionneur d‘Instants” (“The Collector of Moments”)

“One of the ten Best Illustrated Books of the Year“ (The New York Times Book Review) for “The Collector of Moments”

Exhibition at the City Gallery Schwarzes Kloster in Freiburg

1998

Bologna Ragazzi Award for “The Collector of Moments” („Der Sammler der Augenblicke“)

1997

“The Collector of Moments”, picture book with text written by Quint Buchholz

“BookPictureBook” („BuchBilderBuch“): Stories on Pictures by Quint Buchholz; featuring texts by John Berger, David Grossman, Peter Høeg, Milan Kundera, Herta Müller, Orhan Pamuk, Susan Sontag and others

1996

First calendars for the publisher Heye

1995

Illustrations for „Nero Corleone“, a narrative by Elke Heidenreich

Pictures for “The Solitaire Mystery” („Das Kartengeheimnis“), a novel by Jostein Gaarder

Exhibition at the Gasteig Cultural Center, Munich

1994

Illustrations for “Matti and His Grandpa” („Matti und der Großvater“), a children’s book by Roberto Piumini

Illustrations for “Baby” („Schere, Stein, Papier“), a novel by Patricia MacLachlan

New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year Award for „Sleep Well, Little Bear“

1993

“Sleep Well, Little Bear” („Schlaf gut, kleiner Bär“), written and illustrated by Quint Buchholz

Illustrations for „Sumchi“, a narrative by Amos Oz

Cover design for the worldwide bestseller “Sofie’s World” („Sofies Welt“) by Jostein Gaarder, part of the first Hanser Children’s Books segment

1991

Gold Plaque at the Bratislava Children’s Book Illustration Biennial (BIB’91)

1990

First picture book “Sara Wants to Join the Circus” („Die Sara, die zum Circus will“), written by Gudrun Mebs

Illustrations for “The Boy and the Whale” („Sams Wal“), a narrative by Katherine Scholes

First book cover for the Hanser publishing house, for “The Question of Hu” (“Der kleine Herr Hu”) by Jonathan D. Spence

1989/90

Series of posters for the Industrial Union of Mediaworkers (IG Medien)

1989

Exhibition at Wilhelm Palais in Stuttgart

1988

Pictures for the ZEIT magazine’s bookfair-themed literary supplement

1986/87

First book illustrations and covers for the publishing houses Suhrkamp, Sauerländer and Ravensburger

1985

Pictures for the magazine “Transatlantik“

1984

Cooperation with Clown Giacomo

1981

Gallery “im Flur” in Rastatt, first solo exhibition

1979/80

Poster designs for Amnesty International

1979

First illustrations for the magazine “P.M.”