JACQUES MARTIN (1921-2010)

Alix - La tiare d'Oribal India ink on paper for the cover of the reissue of the album by Casterman. Signed at the bottom right. 37 x 31,7 cm. Casterman, 1966. Even if he joined the Journal Tintin only two years after its launch, Jacques Martin remains in the eyes of the general public one of the great signatures of the weekly, in the same way as Hergé, Jacobs or Cuvelier. Not only with the destiny of Alix, which focuses the attention of the readers on several generations, but also by his in-depth articles on cars and planes. Not to mention his long collaboration with Chromos Voir and Savoir. When he joined the Hergé Studios in 1953, he collaborated even more with Hergé, especially on the Tournesol Affair, which allowed him to develop his graphics and his narration thanks to the exchanges with these great authors. This is particularly noticeable on this second cover of La Tiare d'Oribal, one of the most outstanding stories of the first Alix era. Jacques Martin knew how to give amplitude to the scene, while taking care of the readability and accentuating the drama which is played. The soldiers at the front, then the diagonals of their arrows and swords, point towards Alix who is about to throw the tiara into the water. This composition, which seems very simple, reveals all the expertise acquired by Jacques Martin in eight years, the period between the first and second covers. So much so that this one remains one of the most striking images of the entire series.