242 - Manara

Manara MILO MANARA The Painter and the Model, original illustration, in homage to Hugo Pratt, released as a poster in 2009 and published in *Le Stanze del desiderio* by 24 Ore Cultura in 2011. Watercolor and India ink on paper 90 × 120 cm (35.43 × 47.24 in.) “The Painter and the Model” is a recurring motif in classical painting that allowed Manara, on the occasion of a commission for a poster, to pay tribute to Hugo Pratt, who was, in a sense, his mentor. They created two books together: *L’Été Indien* and *El Gaucho*, both published in *À Suivre*. They traveled the world: since Pratt had neither a driver nor a car, Manara often served as his chauffeur! Eroticism was not the focus of their collaboration, even though women play a central role in both Pratt’s work and Manara’s. “Hugo Pratt always loved to tell stories of encounters between two civilizations,” Manara explained. “That’s the central theme of his comics, and in particular, the ones he wrote for me.” These two artists held each other in high regard and shared the same love of adventure.