Helmi El-Tony: Master of Book Cover Art, Passes Away

Helmi El-Tony, one of Egypt's most distinguished artists and a globally recognized book cover designer, passed away on Saturday. He was 90 years old.

The Egyptian Syndicate of Fine Artists mourned El-Tony, hailing him as one of the foremost designers of book covers both in the Arab world and internationally. Egypt’s Minister of Culture, Ahmed Fouad Henno, in a statement, honored El-Tony as a guardian of Egyptian identity, whose work has indelibly shaped the consciousness of an entire generation.

Born in 1934 in Beni Suef, El-Tony graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts with a bachelor's degree in theatrical set design and also studied decorative arts. He served as a supervisor at Dar Al-Hilal publishing house, where his illustrations featured prominently in children’s magazines such as "Samir" and "Mickey." He also contributed to the production of "Theater and Cinema" magazine.

El-Tony collaborated with major publishing houses, notably on the works of celebrated Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz. He was the editor-in-chief of the monthly magazine "Points of View" and held numerous solo exhibitions across the Arab world, in addition to participating in various international group exhibitions.

He was awarded the Bologna Children's Book Fair Prize in 2002 and received a United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) award in 1979 for his poster commemorating the International Year of the Child. His artworks are held in several museums and institutions around the world.