Michael Leunig (1945–2024) was one of Australia’s most distinctive and beloved cultural figures – a cartoonist, painter, printmaker, poet, and philosopher whose voice shaped generations.

Over a career spanning more than five decades, his whimsical, profound and often subversive work invited audiences to reflect on life, love, nature, spirituality, and the absurdities of modern existence. His characters – including Mr Curly, Vasco Pyjama, and the duck – became icons in themselves, celebrated for their tenderness, humour and quiet defiance.

Leunig’s cartoons appeared weekly in The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald for over 40 years – an extraordinary presence in Australian public life. From early on, his work was rooted in anti-war sentiment, environmentalism, and a deep skepticism of consumer culture – radical, poetic, and defiantly human in its concerns.

Beyond cartooning, Leunig was a prolific painter and printmaker. His art practice – symbolic, meditative and dreamlike – expanded his visual language far beyond the newspaper page. His original drawings are held in major public and private collections, including the National Gallery of Australia, the National Library of Australia, and the State Library of Victoria.

He published over 30 books – collections of cartoons, paintings, poetry and prayers – and his creative reach extended into theatre, music, radio and public art. He was declared an Australian Living Treasure in 1999, and collaborated with performers, composers and community projects across the country, always bringing his distinctive blend of mischief, melancholy and wonder.

Michael Leunig’s work continues to be shared, remembered and deeply loved – for its tenderness, truthfulness, and enduring ability to speak straight to the soul.

Remembering Leunig – his life and work →