Cézard (1924-1977) is considered one of the masters of French post-war comics. He was both a scriptwriter and an outstanding illustrator and colourist, while also flexible enough in terms of style to be able to produce humorous and realistic comics. His first illustrations were published in Francs-Jeux in 1946, followed by other publications shortly after. In 1949 Cézard started to work for the publishing house Aventures et Voyages, for which he created realistic comics ‘Brik’ and ‘Yak’, as well as several humorous works. In the 1950s, he was an important contributor to Vaillant, producing a number of brilliant works, including his most popular creation ‘Arthur le fantôme justicier’. Cleverly combining a realistic take on the background and minimalist character artwork, this comic also marks the author’s shift from realism to more humorous works.

Jean Cézard: “Arthur le Fantôme / Arthur the Ghost”, 1962, 34 x 39 cm