Paul Cuvelier
Encyclopedia
Paul Cuvelier was a Belgian
comics
artist best known for the comic series Corentin
, published by Le Lombard
, which first appeared in the first issue of Tintin
.
, Belgium
in 1923. He was the third of seven children of doctor Charles Cuvelier, who was an amateur painter. From his early youth on, his main passion was drawing, and he had his first work published in Le Petit Vingtième
when he was only seven years old. After studying Latin
and Greek
in Enghien
, he began taking art classes at the academy of Mons
for a few months, but left when his teacher declared that there was nothing left that he could teach him. He made his debut in the youth magazine Bravo in 1946 with the Western
comic Tom Colby, written by Hergé
and Edgar Pierre Jacobs
. He was one of the first artists to be contacted by Hergé for the new magazine Tintin
which started in 1946, with Hergé as editor-in-chief.
For Tintin, he created his main comics series, Corentin
. Trained as a painter, Cuvelier was recognized by his peers as one of the most talented artists, but his series only achieved limited success, and Cuvelier spent his whole career alternating between painting and comics. His main interest was the human body, but the catholic context and juvenile audience of Tintin limited his expressive possibilities. Corentin was his longest lasting series, but with only seven albums published in a span of 25 years, it failed to attract a large and faithful audience; his other series were even more short-lived.
In 1968, he was able to combine his passion for the female nude and his gift for drawing comics in Epoxy, a fantasy about the Greek gods
written by Jean Van Hamme
, which is considered to be the first adult comic of Europe.
Ultimately, the lack of commercial success and the burden on his creativity of repeatedly drawing the same figures, inherent to the creation of comics, wore Cuvelier out, and from 1973 until his death 5 years later, he devoted his time to painting. He died in 1978 in Mont-sur-Marchienne
.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
artist best known for the comic series Corentin
Corentin (comics)
Corentin is a series of comics created by Belgian artist Paul Cuvelier . Influenced by Robinson Crusoe, Cuvelier created the character of Corentin Feldoë in 1943. The character first appeared in a series of watercolors that Cuvelier made for his own family. Hergé, convinced of the merit of these...
, published by Le Lombard
Le Lombard
Le Lombard or Lombard Editions is a Belgian comic book publisher established in 1946 when the Tintin magazine was launched. In 1986 the company was acquired by Média-Participations.-Titles:Lombard's more famous series include:*Clifton...
, which first appeared in the first issue of Tintin
Tintin (magazine)
Le journal de Tintin or Kuifje , was a weekly Belgian comics magazine of the second half of the 20th century...
.
Biography
Paul Cuvelier was born in LensLens, Belgium
Lens is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. In 2007 its population was 4042. The total area is 49.42 km² which gives a population density of 80 inhabitants per km²....
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
in 1923. He was the third of seven children of doctor Charles Cuvelier, who was an amateur painter. From his early youth on, his main passion was drawing, and he had his first work published in Le Petit Vingtième
Le Petit Vingtième
Le Petit Vingtième was the weekly youth supplement to the Belgian newspaper Le Vingtième Siècle from 1928 to 1940. The comics series The Adventures of Tintin first appeared in its pages.-History:...
when he was only seven years old. After studying Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
in Enghien
Enghien
Enghien is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Enghien had a total population of 11,980. The total area is 40.59 km² which gives a population density of 295 inhabitants per km²....
, he began taking art classes at the academy of Mons
Mons
Mons is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut, of which it is the capital. The Mons municipality includes the old communes of Cuesmes, Flénu, Ghlin, Hyon, Nimy, Obourg, Baudour , Jemappes, Ciply, Harmignies, Harveng, Havré, Maisières, Mesvin, Nouvelles,...
for a few months, but left when his teacher declared that there was nothing left that he could teach him. He made his debut in the youth magazine Bravo in 1946 with the Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
comic Tom Colby, written by Hergé
Hergé
Georges Prosper Remi , better known by the pen name Hergé, was a Belgian comics writer and artist. His best known and most substantial work is the 23 completed comic books in The Adventures of Tintin series, which he wrote and illustrated from 1929 until his death in 1983, although he was also...
and Edgar Pierre Jacobs
Edgar Pierre Jacobs
Edgard Félix Pierre Jacobs, , better known under his pen name Edgar P. Jacobs, was a Belgian comic book creator , born in Brussels, Belgium...
. He was one of the first artists to be contacted by Hergé for the new magazine Tintin
Tintin (magazine)
Le journal de Tintin or Kuifje , was a weekly Belgian comics magazine of the second half of the 20th century...
which started in 1946, with Hergé as editor-in-chief.
For Tintin, he created his main comics series, Corentin
Corentin (comics)
Corentin is a series of comics created by Belgian artist Paul Cuvelier . Influenced by Robinson Crusoe, Cuvelier created the character of Corentin Feldoë in 1943. The character first appeared in a series of watercolors that Cuvelier made for his own family. Hergé, convinced of the merit of these...
. Trained as a painter, Cuvelier was recognized by his peers as one of the most talented artists, but his series only achieved limited success, and Cuvelier spent his whole career alternating between painting and comics. His main interest was the human body, but the catholic context and juvenile audience of Tintin limited his expressive possibilities. Corentin was his longest lasting series, but with only seven albums published in a span of 25 years, it failed to attract a large and faithful audience; his other series were even more short-lived.
In 1968, he was able to combine his passion for the female nude and his gift for drawing comics in Epoxy, a fantasy about the Greek gods
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
written by Jean Van Hamme
Jean Van Hamme
Jean Van Hamme is a Belgian novelist and comic book writer. He has written scripts for a number of Belgian/French comic series, including Histoire sans héros, Thorgal, XIII and Largo Winch.-Early years:...
, which is considered to be the first adult comic of Europe.
Ultimately, the lack of commercial success and the burden on his creativity of repeatedly drawing the same figures, inherent to the creation of comics, wore Cuvelier out, and from 1973 until his death 5 years later, he devoted his time to painting. He died in 1978 in Mont-sur-Marchienne
Charleroi
Charleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
.
External links
- Paul Cuvelier biography on Lambiek Comiclopedia
- Paul Cuvelier biography on Le Lombard
- Paul Cuvelier homage site