France has a long tradition of embracing comic strip art, known there as bande dessinée ("BD" in French). The genre was influential and popular in France and Belgium long before crossing the Atlantic. One of France's best known illustrators of comic strips and graphic novels is Jean Giraud, also known as Moebius, and occasionally as Gir. His work was introduced to the USA in 1977 with the translation of a French comics magazine Heavy Metal.
Giraud was born in the Paris suburbs in 1938 (chart follows). After his parents divorced he was brought up by grandparents and introduced to the work of late 19th century illustrators such as Gustave Dore. He trained in Paris at the Arts Appliqués (Institute of Applied/Decorative Arts). Within 2 years, aged 18, he was producing his first comic strip, depicting a western adventure.
He went on to produce a variety of commercial graphic art, later teaming up with comics writer Jean-Michel Charlier and producing Fort Navajo, a comic strip which brought Giraud his first real success, and made his character Blueberry famous.
In 1963 he adopted the name Moebius for his contributions to a French anti-establishment magazine. Many collaborations with writers followed, and a variety of themes and styles emerged, including fantasy, sci-fi and eroticism. He has contributed work to movies such as Dune, El Topo, Alien and The Fifth Element, some of those in collaboration with cult movie director Alejandro Jodorowsky - more on him tomorrow.
Giraud/Moebius has two distinct styles: the Blueberry style, direct, bright, tough; and the finer, delicate pastel work in much of his sci-fi and fantasy work, which I much prefer.
Jean Henri Gaston Giraud (Moebius) was born on 8 May 1938 in Nogent sur Marne, France at
10:45 AM (Astrodatabank).
Sun conjunct Uranus! Another one! Two recent posts on investigators of unexplained phenomena, John Keel and Charles Fort, threw up charts with Uranus close to natal Sun. Here we find an artist drawn to illustrate fantasy and science fiction! Sun/Uranus in Taurus, ruled by the arts planet Venus. Venus itself is conjunct Mars nextdoor in versatile, communicative Gemini.
Neptune, planet of imagination and creativity in Virgo and in harmonious trine to Sun/Uranus completes a classic line-up for someone of artistic vision.
I see his Virgo Moon reflected in his softer style, the delicate lines and shades used, nothing brash or garish.
Giraud was born in the Paris suburbs in 1938 (chart follows). After his parents divorced he was brought up by grandparents and introduced to the work of late 19th century illustrators such as Gustave Dore. He trained in Paris at the Arts Appliqués (Institute of Applied/Decorative Arts). Within 2 years, aged 18, he was producing his first comic strip, depicting a western adventure.
He went on to produce a variety of commercial graphic art, later teaming up with comics writer Jean-Michel Charlier and producing Fort Navajo, a comic strip which brought Giraud his first real success, and made his character Blueberry famous.In 1963 he adopted the name Moebius for his contributions to a French anti-establishment magazine. Many collaborations with writers followed, and a variety of themes and styles emerged, including fantasy, sci-fi and eroticism. He has contributed work to movies such as Dune, El Topo, Alien and The Fifth Element, some of those in collaboration with cult movie director Alejandro Jodorowsky - more on him tomorrow.
Giraud/Moebius has two distinct styles: the Blueberry style, direct, bright, tough; and the finer, delicate pastel work in much of his sci-fi and fantasy work, which I much prefer.
Jean Henri Gaston Giraud (Moebius) was born on 8 May 1938 in Nogent sur Marne, France at
10:45 AM (Astrodatabank).
Sun conjunct Uranus! Another one! Two recent posts on investigators of unexplained phenomena, John Keel and Charles Fort, threw up charts with Uranus close to natal Sun. Here we find an artist drawn to illustrate fantasy and science fiction! Sun/Uranus in Taurus, ruled by the arts planet Venus. Venus itself is conjunct Mars nextdoor in versatile, communicative Gemini.
Neptune, planet of imagination and creativity in Virgo and in harmonious trine to Sun/Uranus completes a classic line-up for someone of artistic vision.
I see his Virgo Moon reflected in his softer style, the delicate lines and shades used, nothing brash or garish.
Your choice of images by Jean Giraud is really good...
ReplyDeleteI second that, T. Powerful pics.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
Anonym and WWW ~~~ thanks.
ReplyDeleteIt was a pleasure sorting through his illustrations on-line and choosing these.
He's another artist who would be ideal to do illustrations for a tarot deck. Maybe he has already done so. That last illustration, above, reminds me a lot of The Fool card. :-)
Does anyone know where I can buy posters of his stuff in the UK? I've been looking for months!!
ReplyDeleteThanks
Anonymous ~~ I don't - but if you haven't already, try Amazon (both UK and US versions) and e-bay (UK and US versions). If selling in the US many vendors will post internationally, and it's not horrendously expensive. Good luck.
ReplyDelete