Hergé & Tintin original artwork.

Some interesting original artwork from Hergé and his studio was recently presented among a collection currently sold through Piasa in France. Interested collectors may enter their bid online on December 1st. If not, well, at least enjoy a look at all this marvelous, classic artwork.

Below are three unpublished original drawings by Hergé which he created while designing Professor Calculus' shark shaped submersible, that would help Tintin in his search for Red Rackham's treasure in the comic book by the same title. The story, published in 'Le Soir' between February and September 1943 first introduced the professor in the series and continued the story that began in 'The Secret of The Unicorn' in 1943. Estimated at € 20.000 Euro.

Here is the original coloring for pages 33 and 34 of  'Tintin en Amérique' or 'Tintin in America', the third comic book in the series, first published in Black & white in 1932 after 'Le Petite Vingtieme' had serialised the story between September 1931 and October 1932. The story was partially redrawn and coloured in 1945 and published in color for the first time a year later.

Two orginal drawings from the story 'L'Île Noire' or 'The Black island, the studio drew for the animated cartoon series created by Belvision between 1959 and 1964. Ten of Hergé's comic books were adapted and serialised, producing an animated series consisting of 103 five minute episodes under direction of Ray Goossens (who also directed the animated feature 'Asterix the Gaul' in 1967). The series was written by popular Belgian artist Greg (Michel Régnier).

Several original sketches and dialogue written by Hergé for Belvision's animated feature 'Tintin and the Temple of the Sun' in 1969, adapted from the thirteenth and fourteenth comic books 'The Seven Crystal Balls' and 'Prisoners of the Sun'. Originally serialised in the Belgian newspaper 'Le Soir' between December 1943 and September 1944, the second part of the story was published in Hergé's official Tintin magazine between September 1946 and April 1948.

More original storyboards by studio members for the animated feature 'Temple of the Sun' and storyboard artwork for the original animated feature 'Tintin and the Land of the Sharks' produced under the supervision of Hergé in 1972, which was the only animated feature not based on any comic books in the series.  

One of several sculptures auctioned, this bronze statue of Tintin is six feet tall (180 cm) and was created in 1976 by Nat Neujean. After an attempted theft it was transferred from it's original spot in Park Wolvendael in Uccle, where it was inaugurated by Hergé, to the local Cultural Center. Estimated at € 180.000 Euros. To see more original work and view all lots, visit Piasa. To read more on Hergé and Tintin's first publications in 'Le Petit Vingtième' go here.

Hergé and 'Le Petit Vingtième'.

Above: covers of 'Le Petit Vingtième' issues 7 and 18 from February 13 and May 1st respectively, carrying Hergé's first Tintin comic adventure 'Tintin in the land of the Soviets'.

Before Georges Remi aka Hergé became famous as the artist and creator of 'Tintin', he worked for the Belgian newspaper 'Le Vingtième Siècle', creating illustrations to go with some of their articles. This was in 1925. Three years later, like so many other newspapers, 'Le Vingtième' started a seperate comics supplement called 'Le Petit Vingtième' and Georges became Editor-in-Chief.

'Le Petit Vingitième' was a small, eight page supplement and started publishing Hergé's first ever 'Tintin' story 'Tintin in the land of the Soviets' ('Tintin au pays des Soviets') in their 11th issue, on January 10, 1929. A year later the magazine would expand to 16 pages and Hergé's introduced his gag strip 'Quick & Flupke'.

The first nine stories of Tintin were published in 'Le Petit Vingtième' until publication of the magazine was halted after May 9th 1940,  when the Nazi's invaded and occupied Belgium. Publication of the last story, 'Land of the Black Gold' ('Tintin au pays de l'oir noir') was never finished.

After the war Tintin got his own comics magazine, which would publish the many other stories Hergé and his studio would create. Studio Hergé was founded in 1950 and it is no secret that much of Tintin's later adventures was drawn by his assistants, Belgian comic masters such as Edgar P. Jacobs and later also by Jacques Martin and Bob de Moor.



Above: After finishing the publication of Tintin's first adventure, the magazine left their fans guessing where Tintin would go next, but a week later showed Tintin amidst the African Jungle. Covers of issues 21 and 22 advertising the start of Herge's second comic story 'Tintin in the Congo', which started in issue 23 of June 5, 1930. In comicbook form, this story would later be renamed 'Tintin in Africa'.

'Flup, Nenesse, Poussette et Cochonnet'.

While Hergé published his first Tintin adventure, he also created a twenty page short story titled 'Flup, Nenesse, Poussette et Cochonnet'. The comic was written by the sports editor of 'Le Vingtième' and was published in the premier issue of the comics supplement, on November 1, 1928 until March 7, 1929.

I had never seen it before and recently stumbled upon this story, at a great French website containing many archived works of Hergé. Unfortunately the owner, Daniel Bellier just recently passed away. If you want to check out or read the original editions of Hergé's comic newspaper publications check out his site http://www.bellier.org (hit the 'entrée' button once you're there).

With gratitude to Bellier's site, check out one of Hergé's first comics below. It's twenty pages (in French), although pages 15/16 are omitted and have not resurfaced yet. Make sure to click the images for a much larger view: