4 - HERGÉ

HERGÉ The Adventures of Tintin Tintin in Tibet Graphite pencil on paper for the first two panels of page 61 of this album, published in 1960 by Casterman. First published in *Tintin* magazine No. 46, November 18, 1959. Last panel: a sketch for a proposed illustration for the 1960 calendar of *Tintin* magazine; a sailboat on which Tintin and Snowy, Captain Haddock, Professor Calculus, and the Thompsons can be seen. The Grand Precious has left his monastery, and accompanied by an impressive procession equipped with traditional musical instruments , he comes to meet Tintin and Haddock to honor, in a very solemn manner, their perseverance and courage. A scene that highlights the spiritual dimension of this album. 26.5 x 36.3 cm. Silence reigns on the Tibetan highlands. The sound one hears most frequently is that of the wind blowing—sometimes violently—lifting the snow that has piled up on the peaks and transforming it into an opaque veil. The further one moves away from a world of disruptive energies that hinder concentration and contemplation, the higher one ascends toward these unchanging, unspoiled expanses, and the greater the sense of serenity. As they set out to conquer these mountains with their bluish hues, neither Tintin nor Haddock knew what they would find there. Of course, both were thinking first and foremost of Tchang, but before reaching him, they had to overcome numerous obstacles, far more formidable than any they had encountered before. This experience beyond reality allowed them to learn a great deal about themselves, to discover who they truly were, and to see more deeply—they narrowly escaped death more than once, they even considered giving up, and yet they managed to find that transcendent inner strength. Throughout this journey of initiation, the themes were loyalty, devotion, and also belief. It was said that near a mountain called the Yack’s Snout lived a terrifying creature, larger and stronger than a bear; and the region’s inhabitants kept well clear of that cursed place. However, no one had ever seen it close enough to be able to describe it. But the Abominable Snowman—since that is the name that inspires revulsion—does not exist. Hergé makes it clear: the Abominable One is good; he is nothing like a wild beast, and he possesses a sensitivity that no one would ever have attributed to him; Tchang, who owes him his life and has shared his terrible solitude, knows this better than anyone. About this imposing primate, who took care of the young boy who without him would have died, we will ultimately know nothing; and it is undoubtedly better that way. Footprints in the snow, a name carved into a stone, and a yellow scarf hanging from a rock showed Tintin and Haddock the path to enlightenment. HERGÉ