Hergé - Lot 168

Hergé HERGÉ TINTIN Original illustration created in 1977 to decorate the rim of the Tintin cheese box, accompanied by its certificate of authenticity. Graphite on paper 57.7 × 10.5 cm (22.72 × 4.13 in.) Preparatory graphite drawing, made in 1977, for the design of the decor surrounding the famous Tintin cheese box. Authenticated as an exclusive work by Hergé, this sketch appears in Chronologie d'une oeuvre (tome 7, p. 484/420). The heroes of Hergé's universe, as well as the protagonists of Les Bijoux de la Castafiore, are arranged in a lively, rhythmic farandole. They include Tintin, Snowy, the Dupondts, Captain Haddock, Professor Tournesol, the butler Nestor, the insurance agent Séraphin Lampion, Irma, Castafiore's assistant clutching the jewel case, her pianist and whipping boy Igor Wagner, and finally the famous "Milanese nightingale", in her costume, ready to sing Gounod's aria: "Ah, je risquer de me voir si belle en ce miroir! A few handwritten annotations by Hergé tell the photoengraver about formats and other technical details. The interest of this original also lies in the preparatory strokes for the final drawing: Hergé sketched the legs still visible under the clothes of some of the heroes, and a stronger stroke in graphite shows his choice for the future inking, to be carried out by his assistants. Here, Hergé uses an effective mise-en-scène that he had already experimented with in 1965 for the Brochet candy box. He makes the numerous characters run around in such a way that we have to turn the box to admire them all... This provides three-dimensional mechanical movement, while the two-dimensional drawing amplifies the cinematic sensation through the emanatas around the characters: the smoke from the Captain's pipe, a few drops of perspiration, the Castafiore's dress and even the bottles and glasses on Nestor's tray, whose skill in these situations is well known! Such a drawing by Hergé, bringing together all his characters, makes this a rare piece. Didier Pasamonik