Tintin: Herge's Masterpiece

About this book

The definitive monograph on the art of Tintin. Since he first appeared in Hergs weekly cartoon strip in Le Petit Vingtime in Brussels in 1929 Tintin has become one of the most celebrated characters in the comic world. With more than 200 million copies of the famous twenty-four albums sold worldwide Hergs iconic hero has exploded genres and expectations bringing readers of all ages to his stories for their unique mixture of artistry history and adventure. Drawing on the archives of the Herg Museum in Brussels this book looks at the evolution of Hergs artwork from the simplicity of the early newspaper strips to the sophisticated graphic work of the later books. An avid art collector Herg was inspired by Old Masters but infatuated with graphic design and modern art from the Constructivist work he studied in his youth to the Lichtensteins and Mirs he would travel to see in his maturity. Written by the Belgian art critic Pierre Sterckxand translated by the British expert on Tintin Michael Farrthis is the definitive book on the art of Tintin. With rarely seen pencil sketches character drawings and watercolors alongside original artwork from the finished stories the book illuminates Tintins progress from whimsical caricature to profound icon and reveals Hergs parallel development from cartoonist to artist.