Studio Peyo

Pierre Culliford, known to the world as Peyo, was born on 25 June 1928 in Brussels, Belgium. He began his career in comics after studying at the Académie des Beaux-Arts, initially working as an animator before turning to cartooning. His early work appeared in *Spirou* magazine, where he created the medieval adventure series *Johan and Peewit*. It was within those pages that a small blue creature first appeared in a 1958 story, eventually spinning off into its own phenomenon: *The Smurfs*. Peyo’s clean, rounded linework and gentle humor defined the look of the Smurfs, and he personally wrote and drew the series for decades. He also collaborated with his studio team, including his son Thierry Culliford, who later oversaw the property. Beyond the Smurfs, Peyo continued *Johan and Peewit* and created other series like *Benoît Brisefer*. He died on 24 December 1992 in Brussels. His work earned him lasting recognition in European comics, and he remains a central figure in the bande dessinée tradition.