Louis Van Lint: a fascinating universe

There is only one step from paper to canvas. However, in the 1960’s, many cartoonists did not dare to take it because, at that time, the clear distinction between folk art and fine art still existed. But Hergé, who was in his prime, felt he was ready. He took a chance and finally tried his hand at painting.

Although short-lived, this foray into major art led to new encounters: gallery owners, collectors, critics and of course artists. This is how he met the leader of Belgian lyrical abstraction, Louis Van Lint (1909-1986).

In addition to his friendship with him, Hergé considered him a teacher, and a mentor. No doubt because he too was an explorer of forms in search of simplicity and expressiveness. By his side, he discovered the intensity of the essential in painting, as in the world around him.

Also, because he was curious about everything, he was interested in his mentor's singular passion for tools. Not for their ability to transform and shape, but rather for the harmony of their primitive appearances. Pure and efficient by nature, the lines of the artisan’s treasures are indeed a source of wonder and inspiration. A "fascinating universe" as Hergé himself liked to describe it.

The Van Lint collection is now the subject of a catalogue raisonné, available online.

Did you know?

Tintin's creator was a lover of modern art and had several works by Van Lint in his personal collection, two of which were recently displayed at a temporary exhibition in Lisbon in partnership with the Calouste-Gulbenkian Foundation.