The original artwork surfaced in Europe and is a remarkable discovery of one of the few known privately owned cover illustrations signed by Hergé, and also the oldest. In addition, the artwork also is the first cover image featuring both Tintin and Snowy, his faithful canine companion.
The original cover art is 21 by 26 centimeters. It incorporates Hergé’s unique artistic style and his reflection on the political scope of the time depicting arguably the most popular comic character worldwide. The title character is shown carving a makeshift propeller for his plane from a tree trunk, under the watchful eye of a bandaged-but-attentive Snowy.
Hergé, born May 22, 1907 in Brussels, is considered the star of European comics. His success is global. His pseudonym “Hergé” is derived from reversing the initials “R” and “G” of his real name: Georges Remi. Most of Hergé’s existing original cover art featuring Tintin is the property of the Hergé Museum in Louvain-la-Neuve, near Brussels.
