Walthéry/Natacha. Original drawing for an ex-libris... Lot 222

Walthéry/Natacha. Original drawing for an ex-libris in honor of Robert Hughes, featuring Natacha in the style of the superb painting "Midsummer Eve". India ink and graphite. Signed and dated 2017 + author's stamp on back. Signed bookplate and n°/20 ex included. TBE+. 38 X 28 cm Edward Robert Hughes (1851-1914) was a great English Pre-Raphaelite painter. His best-known paintings include Midsummer Eve and Night With Her Train of Stars. Walthéry began his career at an early age in Peyo's studio. Supervised at first by Will, he was directed towards the "Jacky et Célestin" series, produced for Le Soir illustré. Between 1963 and 1966, under the pseudonym Pop's, he drew four episodes and gradually developed his style. He then tackled "Benoît Brisefer", a more ambitious series that the Master reserved for Spirou. At the same time, he launched his favourite character "Natacha, hôtesse de l'air" in 1967, but it wasn't until 1970 that this determined little woman appeared in Spirou.