José Cabrero Arnal
Encyclopedia
José Cabrero Arnal or C. Arnal (September 7, 1909 in Barcelona
—September 7, 1982 in Antibes
, France
) was a Catalan
-Spanish
cartoonist
, who became a naturalized French citizen.
During his youth in Barcelona he worked as cabinetmaker and as repairman of calculators. He published his very first graphic works in magazines like Pocholo or the famous TBO
, with a character called Top, a humanized dog that later became the famous Pif le chien.
In 1936, after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War
, he enrolled in the Republican
militia and was forced into exile in France after the end of war. In 1940, while his adoptive country was under German occupation, he was captured and deported to the Mauthausen
concentration camp, as were many other Republican exiles. He would not leave until the end of World War II
, in 1945.
In 1946 he published the first cartoons of Placid et Muzo, an anthropomorphic fox and bear, in the weekly publication Vaillant, le journal de Pif. He was a frequent collaborator of L'Humanité
, the newspaper of the French Communist Party
. In this publication appeared for the first time in 1948 his most celebrated character, the dog Pif, and two years later he would draw Pif's inseparable partner, the cat Hercule, ending in the comic strip Pif et Hercule.
Pif gave name in 1969 to a magazine, Pif gadget
, of great success during the 1970s, in which French and European cartoonists published their works, and which survived the death of its creator (with many cartoonists adopting Pif and Hercule into their own creations).
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
—September 7, 1982 in Antibes
Antibes
Antibes is a resort town in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It lies on the Mediterranean in the Côte d'Azur, located between Cannes and Nice. The town of Juan-les-Pins is within the commune of Antibes...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) was a Catalan
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
-Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
, who became a naturalized French citizen.
During his youth in Barcelona he worked as cabinetmaker and as repairman of calculators. He published his very first graphic works in magazines like Pocholo or the famous TBO
TBO
TBO was a long-running Spanish comic book magazine, published in Barcelona between 1917 and 1998.TBO is pronounced in Spanish almost the same as "te veo", "I see you". It was so popular that tebeo is now a generic word for "comic book" in Spain....
, with a character called Top, a humanized dog that later became the famous Pif le chien.
In 1936, after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, he enrolled in the Republican
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
militia and was forced into exile in France after the end of war. In 1940, while his adoptive country was under German occupation, he was captured and deported to the Mauthausen
Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp
Mauthausen Concentration Camp grew to become a large group of Nazi concentration camps that was built around the villages of Mauthausen and Gusen in Upper Austria, roughly east of the city of Linz.Initially a single camp at Mauthausen, it expanded over time and by the summer of 1940, the...
concentration camp, as were many other Republican exiles. He would not leave until the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in 1945.
In 1946 he published the first cartoons of Placid et Muzo, an anthropomorphic fox and bear, in the weekly publication Vaillant, le journal de Pif. He was a frequent collaborator of L'Humanité
L'Humanité
L'Humanité , formerly the daily newspaper linked to the French Communist Party , was founded in 1904 by Jean Jaurès, a leader of the French Section of the Workers' International...
, the newspaper of the French Communist Party
French Communist Party
The French Communist Party is a political party in France which advocates the principles of communism.Although its electoral support has declined in recent decades, the PCF retains a large membership, behind only that of the Union for a Popular Movement , and considerable influence in French...
. In this publication appeared for the first time in 1948 his most celebrated character, the dog Pif, and two years later he would draw Pif's inseparable partner, the cat Hercule, ending in the comic strip Pif et Hercule.
Pif gave name in 1969 to a magazine, Pif gadget
Pif gadget
Pif Gadget was a French comic magazine for children that ran from 1969 to 1993 and 2004 to 2009. Its audience peaked in the early 1970s.-History:Created as an outlet of the French Communist Party, it was initially entitled Le Jeune Patriote...
, of great success during the 1970s, in which French and European cartoonists published their works, and which survived the death of its creator (with many cartoonists adopting Pif and Hercule into their own creations).