Rodolphe Töpffer

Born in Geneva on January 31, 1799, Rodolphe Töpffer was a Swiss teacher, writer, painter, and caricaturist. He taught at a boarding school and later ran one himself, while also writing travel pieces, criticism, and illustrated stories.

He is remembered above all for his picture narratives, including works such as Histoire de M. Vieux Bois, which are often described as some of the earliest European comics. His combination of handwritten text and expressive drawings gave his stories a quick, energetic style that influenced later cartoonists.

Töpffer died on June 8, 1846. Even though he worked in many forms, his reputation now rests largely on the wit and invention of his illustrated books, which helped open the door to comics as a modern art form.