PARIS.- On 24th November,
Artcurial’s Comic Strips Department will host an auction presenting a wide selection of original works from the greatest authors of the Ninth Art. This auction will include numerous strips and illustrations from Franco-Belgian artist Hergé, Maurice Tilieux and André Franquin alongside contemporary illustrators such as Enki Bilal, Moebius and Jean-Claude Mézière.
In the creator of Tintin’s universe
The keystone of the auction is undoubtedly a piece by Hergé, the creator of legendary character Tintin: a board composed of strips 54, 55 and 56 of L’étoile Mysterieuse (estimate: €170,000 - 200,000). Illustrating a speed race, drawn in Indian ink on paper, this pre-published adventure appeared in 1941-42 in the Newspaper Le Soir. On board The Aurora, Tintin and Captain Haddock are busily endeavouring to first discover the meteorite that fell in the Arctic seas and take possession of the mysterious and unstable island that will disappear as quickly as it appeared.
The illustration for the invitation card created in 1968 marking the 20th anniversary cocktail of The Tintin review will complete this set. Drawn in Indian ink and watercolour, it represents Tintin dressed in various folk costumes, with Snowy at his side (estimate: €25,000 - 35,000).
Other unusual lot from the creator: a colour drawing by Hergé to his Scandinavian editor (estimate: €15,000 - 20,000). Accustomed to exciting adventures and distant countries, Tintin and Snowy have travelled extensively, but until then had never visited Scandinavia. This occasion marked editor Per Carlson’s birthday.
The young reporter, dressed as a Viking, proudly wears a horned helmet covering his semi-long blond hair that has replaced his famous quiff. Snowy is occupied with a decorated drinking horn.
Classical and contemporary comic strips
The auction will also pay tribute to Modern artists, including Enki Bilal with plate n°32 of the album La Foire aux Immortels, published in 1980 and the first volume of The Nikopol Trilogy. Depicted, a hockey game that turns awry in Enki Bilal’s futuristic Paris: an autonomous city under Jean-Ferdinand Choublanc’s fascist regime (estimate: €50,000 - 60,000).
Other remarkable drawing board, Arzach by Jean Giraud, aka Moebius, without speech bubble or text, illustrating Arzach the solitary hero riding his prehistoric mount (estimate: €20,000 - 25,000). Jean- Claude Mézière will be represented with the cover of Otages de l’Ultralum from the 1971 album depicting Valérian and Laureline (estimate: €25,000 – 35,000), alongside another plank from L’Empire des mille planètes (estimate: €15,000 - 20,000).
A set of paintings and original boards represent Olivier Ledroit, one of the most important representatives on the contemporary scene. Among them, an acrylic, lace and collage on canvas of Sha (estimate €15,000 - 17,000).
Classic comics will also be represented. Collectors will immerse themselves in the newspaper atmosphere of Tintin and Spiroux with a Raymond Macherot board from the 1956 album, Chlorophylle et les conspirateurs (estimate: €10,000 - 12,000) and the ad Gare aux gaffes by André Franquin, illustrating Fantasio underwhelmed by Gaston Lagaffe who just poured a pot of paint over himself. (estimate: €15,000 - 20,000).
Belgian draftsman Maurice Tillieux will be represented by two boards from the Gil Jourdan albums including Les Cargos du crépuscule from 1961, estimate €8,000 - 9,000 and the celebrated Albert Uderzo with a strip from Les Adventures de Michel Tanguy, a gift to racing car driver Jean-Pierre Beltoise (estimate: €15,000 - 20,000). Two fighter pilots, Michel Tanguy and Ernest Laverdure are depicted, both of very different characters.
Works by Jacques Tardi and François Schuiten will complement this chapter alongside illustrations by Alfred Dubout, Jean-Jacques Sempé and Jacques de Loustal.
