Thanks to the efforts of his children, the legacy of the late acclaimed British painter and children’s book illustrator Brian Wildsmith (1930-2016) is receiving renewed appreciation this Christmas season with a new edition of The Road to Bethlehem, which he also authored.

In a whimsical, child-friendly twist, the story of the Annunciation and Nativity is told from the perspective of a cat and dog – left behind by Mary and Joseph with a neighbour – who set out on a long trek to find their masters and be near to the Christ Child at His birth. Along the way, they encounter a fox, goat, bear and three camels also on an important mission.

Rebecca Wildsmith, who resides in southeast France, told The Catholic Register in a phone interview that she cherished witnessing her father in his creative element.

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“He had such a vivid imagination,” said Wildsmith. “He was very passionate about pre-Renaissance Italian art, and you can see that in one of the pictures. And he was such a natural when he was at work that he let himself go when he was painting. I used to watch him a lot when I was little.”

Wildsmith grew up with two sisters, Claire and Anna, and a brother named Simon. Anna passed away in 2016. She grew up to be astute in the field of art in her own right by studying at Camberwell School of Art & Crafts in London, UK, earning a Bachelor of Arts in graphic design, and then she completed a hand-made leather bookbinding course at Croydon Polytechnic (now Croydon College).

Her professional life included opportunities to educate children, gifting her with insight about how books are a process of great discovery for young readers.

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“At such a young age, they’re so innocent,” said Wildsmith. “When I give them a book to read, I wait and see what they have to say. There is that page in (The Road to Bethlehem) with the goat when he's tied up in the cart. It's so full of butterflies and insects, birds and owls and frogs. Children just really key into those sorts of things because they can relate to them in their youth.”

A quick observation that could be made about Wildsmith’s body of work is that there is a wholesomeness to his creations. Among the approximately 110 books he illustrated and wrote, many centred on animals, Christian figures (Jesus, Mary, Moses, Noah), the ABCs and nursery rhymes.

The goodness seen on the pages, perhaps, was the manifestation of his value system, which he and his late wife, Aurélie Ithurbide, passed on to their children.

“My parents found that with respect, kindness, compassion, friendship and beauty, if you don't learn those basics of being a good human being when you're little, you're probably in a lot of trouble,” said Wildsmith. “Until you wake up one and say to God, ‘I don't want to live like this anymore.’ My parents really instilled in us these qualities.

“My father would always tell me that ‘it doesn’t matter if you are talking to the Queen of England or her cleaning lady – you speak to them the same way.’”

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Wildsmith and her siblings’ admiration and love for their father are driving them to ensure new generations in Europe and North America are exposed to his work. Earlier this year, they met with Sophia Institute Press and established a partnership that will see six Wildsmith books get published in the coming months.

The Road to Bethlehem is the debut. A book on St. Francis, animated by Brian and written by Rebecca, is coming out in January.