In memoriam Professor Takasi Sekiguchi

On 12 June Takasi Sekiguchi, 52 years old, passed away because of lymph cancer. He was a professor of Tokyo Polytechnic University and a teacher of Tama Art University. He has been an outstanding member of the "MANGART" group, whose aim is to fuse the aesthetic and conceptual approach of manga (comics) and art into one genre, since 1986. He was also an editorial cartoonist as a regular collaborator of Asahi Shimbun, as well as an advertising artist. His cartoons and posters were awarded in several international contests.
Cartoon art will miss him; his colleagues expected him to lead Japan cartoon field as a next generation.

Here are three of his books: Black & White Humor. 1983-1992 ; Black & White Humor. Underground, both self-published in Yokohama in 1992 ; and Freeze!, published by Art Box in Tokyo in 2005.

JMB

The 9th Art is in sorrow

The comics world lost one of his greatest masters. Jean Giraud died on March 10^th 2012 at 73. He signed Gir his Western series and Mœbius his SF stories and illustrations.

When Maurice de Bevere, his fellow cartoonist Morris, died, Jean Giraud paid him a tribute that he exceptionally both signed Gir and Mœbius, for once. This homage was published in the French weekly magazine ‘La Vie’ on July 26^th 2001. Although being quite famous for his comic strips works, Mœbius was editorial cartoonist in this magazine in 2001-2002.

Un an dans La Vie, a book gathering about fifty of these works, was published by Stardom Edition in Paris in May 2002. ISBN 2 908766 60 4

Here is its foreword:

The Sunday square.

Back to square one. It is always a dangerous task for a revered master to enter a new territory for the first time. One year at the very heart of information. This is the kind of adventure that we're talking about here; the very same one that your hands are holding. Small size book, regular meeting format in a paper covered by lines of pencil, at ‘La Vie’ (Life), a Christian newspaper. I declare that Mœbius started this career in which his peers preceded him, with both the humility and eagerness of a child. He thus became part of this paper's new founding team, which started right after the war.

A weekly drawing that depicts the news is a task without a net. No time for regrets. As soon as it's done, it's already printed. As soon as the ink is dry, you have to start over; back on the blank sheet. In this kind of business there is no room for impulsiveness and hesitation. On this definition valid for all news drawing, an additional difficulty rises, inherent to the weekly. The window of execution is limited to the limits of the day. It is the same as that of the daily plus the dilemma: what fact to retain that will remain as the core of the week, which will not betray that time?

Living the intensity of the news, then getting a distance to bring light to its meaning. For a year, Mœbius and I have shared this kind of life, rain or shine. We always responded to the call, either on an airplane, at the hospital, in Paris, in the south of France, or in dream castles in Burgundy, all four seasons; usually on Sunday, day of rest, day of the Lord. As for me, I felt the rare pleasure to witness a new particular talent that rose in him. The skill of catching the news, six days a week, and give it a meaning on the seventh; then, to offer it to the avid readers to share. May he be blessed for it.

Max Armanet. Managing Editor ‘La Vie’.

May 17^th 2001

June 14^th 2001

November 22^nd 2001

February 20^th 2002: Jacques Chirac & Lionel Jospin

article by JMB

Learn more:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Giraud

http://www.moebius-transe-forme.com/

Ronald Searle the Great Part 2

Article by JM
Read our other Ronald Searle articles.

The terrific years of St. Trinian’s and St. Custards

After a first part dedicated to Searle’s war drawings and to some samples of his press works, let us talk about his books.

Searle’s first cartoon book was published by Macdonald in 1948.

On the title page, Searle drew himself in company of his already well known schoolgirls.

Although this book is titled: Hurrah for St. Trinian’s and other lapses, it contains only 14 St. Trinian’s cartoons on the 87 gathered here. Obviously, the author knows these characters of young pests are popular. The book gets an undeniable success: 50,000 copies are sold.

The following period is particularly active for Searle: up to the middle of the 50s he edits four cartoon books, he collaborates to six books and he illustrates over fifteen books.

His second cartoon book is launched by the same publisher in 1949. It is again successful: in two years, there are seven reprints.

The female approach with masculine sidelights deals with the better (?) half of mankind, with adult women as well as Searle’s young and always awful schoolgirls.

His third cartoon book is published in 1949, again by Macdonald.

As announced by its title, this Back to the slaughterhouse and other ugly moments shows a very black ambience. This book too is partly devoted to the famous infamous schoolgirls.

In 1952, Searle illustrates a Timothy Shy novel that takes place in the mythic St. Trinian’s boarding school.

Since 1946, many cartoons, featuring Searle’s scandalous schoolgirls, are edited in Lilliput magazine every month, and some of these cartoons are published abroad, in the press as well as in book form.

Searle’s book Weil noch das Lämpchen glüht, published by Diogenes Verlag in Zürich in 1952, reprints in German some British cartoons from his first three books. There are several reprints; the last one is made as a pocket book (picture here above).

Souls in torment, his fourth British cartoon book, is published by Perpetua in 1953. This publishing company is founded by Kaye Webb – a long time editor of Lilliput magazine, then wife of Ronald Searle. This book contains a miscellany of themes, such as music, fine arts, literature... and, of course, the heinous but very famous schoolgirls.

On the left, the cartoon shows Searle visiting St. Trinian’s, dressed as an undertaker!

In fact, this book marks an important turning point: although the successful St. Trinian’s girls became part of the British folklore, their animator arrives at the conclusion he doesn’t want to be a prisoner of his creatures. So the publisher warns she is editing the last hours of that infamous, irresistible brood of impenitent characters, known as Searle’s Schoolgirls. Their creator has thought it best to dispose of them before they shattered foundations more fundamental than those of St. Trinian’s. This, she realises, will be positively their last appearance in book form.

Here Searle announces his decision to definitely close this long cartoons series.

Edited soon after Souls in torment, the book Médisances, is published by Robert Delpire in Paris in 1953. It reprints in French some British cartoons from Searle’s first four books. Of course, there are some cartoons of the devilish schoolgirls.

Still digging into the vein of British school life, but on the schoolboys side this time, Searle collaborates to two books written by Geoffrey Williams, whose main character is Nigel Molesworth, a pupil of the unlikely St. Custards school.

How to be topp, subtitled ‘A guide to sukcess for tiny pupils’, is the first of these books dedicated to schoolboys. It was published by Max Parish in 1954 and it was re-issued several times up to 1959.

In association with Searle, Geoffrey Williams’ second book was edited in 1958 by the same publisher, and then it was republished as a soft cover book by May Fair Books in 1968.

Finally, to complete St. Trinian’s girls’ saga, Searle and his wife devoted themselves to a sort of encyclopaedia that was published by Pepetua in 1959.

With the collaboration of several authors, this book details, in about fifty pages, the genesis of this corpus of cartoons, their resounding in British culture, as well as the creations they inspired (such as a film and several songs). In addition, there are about 125 cartoons (some of them never published in a book).

This hardcover first edition was republished as a paperback by Penguin Books in 1961.

Here is the tragic cartoon of the apocalyptic end of the St. Trinian’s story

Goodbye bloody girls; R.I.P.! But see you soon, you readers of this blog: we are very far from the end of the sumptuous list of Searle’s books.

article by JMB

Learn more:
St Trianians School on Wikipedia
Ronald Searle lithographs and original drawings / Art of Illustration.co.uk

Related articles:

Ronald Searle the Great (Part 1)

Ronald Searle the Great (Part 2)

Ronald Searle the Great (Part 3)

Ronald Searle's 'Slightly Foxed - But Still Desirable'

Ronald Searle related articles on our blog

Don't forget to consult the Ronald Searle Tribute Blog

Ronald Searle the Great (Part 1)

Article by JMB
Translation: Jan

Read our other Ronald Searle articles

Ronald Searle begins his career in the pre-war press, while studying at the Cambridge School of Arts. In April 1939 he joined the army, which finally leads him to Singapore where, shortly after his arrival, the Japanese captured him along with the whole British garrison. The captivity of these men took place in very atrocious conditions. Throughout this ordeal which will last until September 6, 1945, the artist Searle clandestinely drew a testimony of his 43 months of hell. About these works, he said  they are « the graffiti of a condemned man, intending to leave a rough witness of his passing through, but who found himself – to his surprise and delight – among the reprieved ».

Shortly after his return to England he exhibited in Cambridge 300 drawings he produced since 1939. A book, reproducing 40 of his works drawn in captivity, is published. This is the first book of Ronald Searle’s long bibliography. We will talk about his other books in the second part of our article.

From March 6 to July 6, 1986, his war drawings are exhibited at the Imperial War Museum in London. On this occasion, Searle published the story of his war years, accompanied by drawings of this period, in the book To the Kwai - and Back, which is published in the UK by Collins Publishers and in the United States by The Atlantic Monthly Press.

Soon after the return of Searle to civilian life, his career as a cartoonist is pretty well launched. All facets of his talent are revealing and his fame is growing. He participated in an incredible number of magazines where he draws realistic illustrations for short novels, for announcement of radio plays, as well as cabochons, advertising, graphical reports, ironic portraits, caricatures, current events cartoons and, especially, countless humorous cartoons.

Illustrations in the magazine John Bull in 1947 & 1948

Ads of radio plays

Pictured ads, published from 1947 to 1953

An article published in The Studio in January 1949

Jungle dance, East Africa.

Drawing done in1946, published in The Studio in June 1949

In this issue of The Studio, Bernard Denvir, author of the article "Ronald Searle without a smile", wrote: « On troop-ships and in Africa, in gaol and in the jungle, Searle developed as clearly and probably far more surely than if he had been working at art schools here in England. Not only did he achieve greater powers of penetration and understanding, but his line became surer, more revealing, and less susceptible to the occasional lapses into facility which recur from time to time in his work ».

Graphical report by Searle in the United States, published in two issues of Punch in July 1957

Centerfold portraits published in Punch in October and December 1956

R. Hirsch & M. Boudet in the G. Feydeau play: “Un fil à la patte”, in Paris

Theatrical caricature published in Punch December 16, 1962

Current events cartoon published in Punch November 19, 1958

Cartoons published in Lilliput in the years 1946-1948

Ronald Searle's fame exploded with his long series of cartoons featuring schoolgirls of the unlikely institution St Trinian's, from 1946. The profile of these young girls, just as amoral as sadistic, created a buzz in the quiet of the after war United Kingdom. They will become such a part of British mythology that a serious publication like The Times has referred more than once to ‘triniamism’, confident that this will be immediately comprehensive to its readers. The popularity of these characters of little but awful devils crossed the borders.

Cartoon published in London Opinion August 1953

Cartoons published in Paris Match April 18, 1953

Major newspapers in France, the United States, Germany, Italy and other countries, publishing his drawings throughout his career.

Cartoons published in Paris Match 6 February 1954

Cartoon published in Marie France in August 1992

Drawing published in Sky in March 1996

Cartoon published in Paris Match October 15, 1998

To top off this presentation devoted to the press, here is - with the friendly permission of Alain Grandremy, the cartoon Searle especially made to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the famous French satirical newspaper Le Canard Enchaîné, in 1996.

The work of Ronald Searle is not limited to his press drawings and all his books; there are other artistic creations which will be discussed later.

I cannot end without paying a tribute to the late cartoonist Roland Fiddy, who friendly gave me his big collection of old British press cuttings concerning Ronald Searle, whom he was a keen fan too.

article by JMB

Related articles:
Ronald Searle the Great (Part 1)
Ronald Searle the Great (Part 2)
Ronald Searle the Great (Part 3)
Ronald Searle's 'Slightly Foxed - But Still Desirable'
Ronald Searle lithographs and original drawings / Art of Illustration.co.uk
Ronald Searle related articles on our blog

The Ronald Searle Tribute Blog