Hergé (1907-1983) - "Le Lotus Bleu" (1934) - 2010年代

Author: Hergé (1907-1983)
Titles: Le Lotus Bleu (1936)
Size: 70 x 50 cm
Copyright: HERGÉ / MOULINSART 2022 - Printed in Belgium.
Offset print made on thick 200g, high-quality paper. Displays a vivid and sharp image quality.
New to frame.
Shipping in a rigid tube via certified express mail.
It is possible to collect more than one object, from the same auction, in the same shipment.

This poster is a cover of “The Blue Lotus” (French: Le Lotus bleu) one of the most famous Tintin adventures, published by Hergé in 1936. In 1946 it was re-published in colour and in a fixed 62-page format. This story is the continuation of “Cigars of the Pharaoh” and follows Tintin as he travels to China to investigate a criminal conspiracy.

“The Blue Lotus” was the first time Hergé took a more serious approach to research for his adventures. Instead of relying on cultural clichés, he rigorously researched to depict China in a respectful and accurate manner. This was possible thanks to his friendship with Zhang Chongren, a Chinese artist living in Brussels. Zhang not only helped Hergé with cultural and historical details but also influenced the anti-colonial message of the work, in which Hergé condemns the injustices of Western and Japanese powers in China. This was an unusual stance for the time, especially in a children’s comic.

A curious fact is that Zhang Chongren was out of contact for decades due to the Cultural Revolution in China, but he reunited with Hergé many years later, in 1981, in an emotional meeting in Brussels. This friendship had a great impact on Hergé’s work and was key to Tintin’s evolution into a character more sensitive and aware of international issues.

The image shows Tintin and his loyal dog Snowy hiding inside a large porcelain vase, while in the background, a looming black dragon symbolizes the exotic and mysterious atmosphere of China. The Chinese lantern with the lotus motif (depicted with the Chinese character “蓮”, meaning lotus) reinforces the oriental aesthetic of the story. This particular poster is iconic as it encapsulates the essence of adventure and mystery, which are central to the plot.