Exhibition before the auction shows originals by Lucky Luke
Published: Monday, Oct 21st 2024, 19:00
Updated At: Monday, Oct 21st 2024, 21:11
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50 original panels with adventures of Lucky Luke are going under the hammer. The auction is to take place on November 15 in Paris. They will be presented to the public beforehand.
The auction is a world premiere for the famous lone cowboy, who is known to shoot faster than his shadow. This was announced by the auction house Christie's on Monday. The paintings offered for auction can be seen in Geneva until Thursday. They were previously exhibited in Brussels and will be on public display in Paris until the auction.
Estimates for each of the 50 printing blocks range between 20,000 and 70,000 euros, resulting in a total value of 2.4 to 3.4 million euros, according to the auction house.
The Belgian comic artist Morris, whose real name was Maurice de Bevere (1923-2001), dedicated his life to Lucky Luke. He published the first Lucky Luke album in 1947, followed by over 70 more during his lifetime.
In black and white
The plates on display in Geneva are in black and white. "Morris considered them finished," explains Vincent Belloy, who specializes in books and manuscripts at Christie's. The illustrator only indicated the colors to be used on the back of each plate.
Some scenes feature memorable characters such as the Daltons, the cousins of the real outlaws. They were killed by Lucky Luke in an album. To avoid having to resurrect them, Morris invents a close-knit family for them: four boys whose intelligence is inversely proportional to their size.
There is also a panel on which Calamity Jane appears. "Morris didn't draw many female figures, but this one is particularly successful," says Vincent Belloy. Sarah Bernhardt can be seen on another panel. Morris was often inspired by real people.
It was Morris' family who decided to hold this extraordinary auction. It will mark the end of the celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of the artist's birth. According to Vincent Belloy, it will probably be a one-off auction and not the start of a whole series of auctions.
©Keystone/SDA
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