RABIER, Benjamin (1864-1939) - Lot 322

RABIER, Benjamin (1864-1939) The duck, the frog and the comb. Set of three 6x19 cm drawings, forming a story, in India ink on paper, the last signed. Yellowing and stains, slight tears. Drawings used for the cover of the book "Nouvelles histoires de bêtes. Paris, G. Durassié & Cie, coll. Images, 1951" and also published in "Au temps où les bêtes parlaient breton. Histoires en images et dessins amusants (Editions Ololê 1943). Benjamin Rabier was a French illustrator and forerunner of the comic strip (notably thanks to his character Tintin Lutin, created in 1898), renowned for his children's publications, his "laughing cow", and his duck character Gédéon. His round, dynamic style is characteristic of one of the greatest European cartoonists of the period, supported in his early years by Caran d'Ache and much admired by Hergé. He was regularly published in the periodicals "Le Rire" and "Le pêle-mêle", "L'assiette au beurre" and "Le Chat Noir". He also worked in cartooning, and created numerous advertising posters.