Paolo Barbieri is an Italian illustrator and comic book artist who illustrated numerous comics covers for international and Italian artists such as Michael Crichton, Ursula K. Le Guin, Ilaria Tuti, George R.R. Martin, Umberto Eco, Mario Zimmer Bradley, Herbie Brennan, Cassandra Clare, Laura Gallego García, Alberto Angela, Valerio Massimo Manfredi, and Wilbur Smith.
From 2004 to 2015, Paolo has illustrated most of Licia Troisi’s book covers for Mondadori publisher as well as Creature del Mondo Emerso (2008) and Guerre del Mondo Emerso, Guerrieri e Creature (2019).
In 2001, Barbieri held the position of Color Department Art Director for the Italian animated movie Aida degli alberi, directed by Guido Manuli, featuring Ennio Morricone’s theme song.
From 2015, Barbieri began his partnership with Lo Scarabeo di Torino publisher, creating numerous illustrated books including Zodic (2016), Night Fairries (2020), Alice in Wonderland (2022) and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (2023) both illustrated by him, and Gatti – leggende e misteri (2025).
Barbieri has also produced some illustrated books for Sergio Bonelli publisher, including L’Inferno di Dante (2021), Favole degli Dei (2022), Fiabe Immortali (2022), L’Apocalisse (2023), Storie di Unicorni (2024). L’Odissea (2024), Draghi i Custodi delle Stelle (2025) and Dracula (2025).
He is the artist behind the graphic novel Caduto dalla Luna (Dampy color, La Cineteca del Mistero, 2022, written by Mauro Boselli) and the artist cover edition of Dragonero and Cona il Barbaro (2022), both published by Bonelli Editore.
In 2021, Barbieri created the official poster of Lucca Comics & Games titled “A riveder le Stelle”. That same year, several illustrations from Inferno di Dante were selected by Ministero degli Affari Esteri for a travelling exhibition titled “Dante Ipermoderno”, which took place to the Italian Cultural Institutes in several cities, including Madrid, Prague, Belgrado, Athens, Moscow and London.
