Vallée - Lot 171

Lot n° 171
Go to lot
Estimation :
6000 - 7000 EUR
Register for the sale on drouot.com
Vallée - Lot 171
Vallée SYLVAIN VALLÉE ONCE UPON A TIME IN FRANCE Complete Collection, Glénat 2020 Original illustration. Signed. India ink on paper 79.5 × 54.8 cm (31.3 × 21.57 in.) In recounting the life of Joseph Joanovici—a Romanian Jew who was either a collaborator or a member of the Resistance, or both, or perhaps simply a collaborator—who weathered the war unscathed, and even in luxury, while his fellow Jews met their ends in Nazi death camps, Fabien Nury and Sylvain Vallée did not take the easy route. The man is so controversial that Israel denied him, after the war, the benefits of the Law of Return. But the authors describe this period with such accuracy that their work was featured in the exhibition “The Shoah and Comics” at the Shoah Memorial in 2017. This cover brings together most of the main characters from this powerful story. Didier Pasamonik Browse through my albums, my comic pages, and my illustrations, and you’ll easily see that breathing life into characters is at the heart of my creative process. It’s even what drives me creatively. In this image, I wanted to bring together all the main and supporting characters from the comic book series *Il était une fois en France*. Created with writer Fabien Nury, it recounts the extraordinary story—inspired by real events—of Joseph Joanovici, a scrap metal dealer who became a billionaire during the Occupation, serving as both a collaborator and a member of the Resistance. I composed this iconic depiction of the series to reflect the ambiguity and duality of Joanovici—shown here in the center—by dividing the image into two distinct parts. On the left are his “enemies” or those with whom he will compromise. On the right, his “allies,” even though some of them will turn against him. France is symbolized by the large flag hanging overhead. The Paris skyline is implied in the background, with its distinctive rooftops at the edges of the image. Finally, there are the banknotes flying away—the fortune that will temporarily save Joanovici, before leading him to his downfall. To tackle such a subject in a comic book, the choice of an enriched “ligne claire” style—blending realism and caricature, full of curves and rounded shapes, as seen in this image—quickly became obvious to me. This was done to make a particularly realistic and deeply dark subject accessible through the apparent simplicity of the style. It reflects that dark chapter in French history that continues to haunt us and for which the page never seems to turn. Sylvain Vallée
My orders
Sale information
Sales conditions
Return to catalogue