Blue Lotus NFT print

A delicate Ming period vase in the lower left corner. A protective dragon, a hunter of evil spirits, in the centre. A Chinese lantern with a floral design, probably made of silk or paper, in the upper right corner. These are the three highlights that form the basis of this understated but masterly illustration which Hergé sent to his publisher on 12th February 1936 to serve as the cover for the first black and white version of The Blue Lotus. 

All the magic of the image - and this is Hergé's genius - lies precisely in this association of motifs. These highly significant and symbolic markers of Chinese culture are articulated with incredible accuracy around a single line of force. Thanks to this diagonal, the visual is all the more legible. Dynamic, too. And this momentum is subtly counterbalanced by the snaking body of the dragon that occupies the central part of the composition. Positioned in this way, the mythical animal separates and connects - and at the same time - the two other objects whose forms almost respond to each other, curve for curve. 

This perfect balance, worthy of Yin and Yang, is complemented by a minimalist but vibrant colour palette. Applied with a brush, in washes or flat tones, the colours live on the paper, creating subtle nuances that catch the eye and the light. Proof that the gesture, the colour and the line are perfectly mastered here. Hergé is, in fact, in full possession of his art and it shows. 

To pay tribute to this exceptional preparatory drawing, the Tintin Shop offers you a framed reproduction, faithful in every respect - and in its smallest details (dimensions, intensity of colours, mechanical alterations of the paper, etc.) - to the original. 

It was printed in Belgium, under the direction of the Tintinimaginatio graphic studio, in Offset HUV (High Ultra Violet). This printing method was specially chosen for the precision of its rendering and to ensure that the reproduction is as close as possible to the original. The subtleties of the design as well as the depths and intensities of the colours are perfectly reproduced. 

And thanks to the NFT certification associated with this high quality print, you will also enter the virtual world of Hergé's work. 

Reproduction of the original 1936 drawing (pencil, Indian ink, watercolour and gouache on paper). High Fidelity Offset HUV printing on 250 gsm paper. 

Certificate numbered (in Arabic numerals and Chinese characters) by hand on the back of the frame.

NFT certification available with the same number, free of charge, via a unique personal code placed in a sealed envelope (code to be activated within six (6) months of receipt of the parcel or the NFT option will be lost). The above envelope is sent with the framed illustration.

Treasure linked to the NFT (only if NFT is activated) access to the digital booklet produced by the Hergeologist Philippe Goddin.

Limited edition of 777 copies numbered from 001/777 to 777/777.

Frame size: 500 x 500 mm.

Printed size:328 x 328 mm.