Snowy The Half-Angel – Figurines Tintin La Collection Officielle – 40 – Milou Mi-Ange

Author: Hergé & Editions Moulinsart
Price: £65.00
Publisher: Editions Moulinsart
Publication date: 2013
Format: Original pictorial boards with passport and figurine
Condition: In near fine condition
Illustrations: Illustrated throughout

Description:

Original pictorial boards. Includes passport loosely inserted. Text in French. Includes the accompanying figurine. One from the collection of 111 books and figurines. Very slight wear. In very near fine, clean condition overall.

Snowy: A Short Account

Snowy, or Milou in French, is Tintin’s constant companion — a small white wire fox terrier whose courage, wit, and loyalty make him one of the most beloved characters in twentieth-century literature. From the first panels of Tintin in the Land of the Soviets (1929) to the final, unfinished adventure, Tintin and Alph-Art, Snowy is inseparable from his master, both physically and emotionally. He is more than a pet; he is Tintin’s moral and emotional counterpart.

Character Profile

Snowy is instantly recognisable by his bristled coat, sharp muzzle, and alert expression. Despite his size, he displays remarkable bravery and intelligence. He is capable of navigating danger, understanding complex situations, and even serving as Tintin’s rescuer in moments of peril.

His inner voice — expressed through thought bubbles in early albums — reveals a mixture of sarcasm, common sense, and occasional cowardice, creating a vivid personality that contrasts with Tintin’s near-perfect composure.

Origins and Name

Hergé gave Snowy the name Milou as a tribute to his first girlfriend, Marie-Louise Van Cutsem — affectionately called “Milou.” The choice imbued the dog with warmth and familiarity, signalling that Tintin’s adventures, however vast in scale, always revolve around friendship and loyalty.

Snowy’s breed, the wire fox terrier, was popular in Belgium during the 1920s and 1930s and symbolised alertness, energy, and devotion — traits that perfectly suited Tintin’s fast-paced world.

Personality and Traits

Snowy’s personality is defined by his dual nature — half-angelic, half-earthly. He is brave, loving, and principled (mi-ange), yet occasionally vain or tempted by food and whisky. This mix of virtue and weakness makes him deeply human in spirit.

Key traits include:

• Loyalty: He follows Tintin into jungles, deserts, and battlefields without hesitation.
• Courage: Despite his fear, he confronts danger — fighting wild animals, smugglers, and gangsters.
• Humour: His internal commentary provides comic contrast to Tintin’s seriousness.
• Sensitivity: He responds emotionally to Tintin’s distress, showing empathy and affection uncommon in fictional animals of his era.

Role Across the Series

Snowy accompanies Tintin through every adventure. His role evolves as Hergé’s storytelling matures:

• In early works (The Soviets, The Congo, America), he acts as Tintin’s outspoken sidekick, often commenting directly on the absurdities around them.
• In middle-period stories such as The Blue Lotus and The Black Island, his personality becomes subtler — loyal but quietly humorous.
• In later adventures, especially The Calculus Affair and Tintin in Tibet, Snowy’s emotional depth comes to the forefront. He suffers, struggles, and demonstrates unwavering devotion.

In Tintin in Tibet, Snowy’s role reaches its emotional peak. Exhausted, freezing, and terrified, he never abandons Tintin, reflecting the story’s core themes of faith and friendship.

Relationship with Tintin

Tintin and Snowy share a bond of complete mutual trust. Tintin treats Snowy as an equal, consulting him, speaking to him naturally, and recognising his intelligence. Their partnership forms the emotional centre of the series: while Tintin represents idealism and action, Snowy provides heart, warmth, and humour.

When separated — whether through danger, capture, or misunderstanding — both characters show visible distress. Tintin’s repeated rescues of Snowy (“Tintin brings Snowy back”) symbolise the hero’s empathy and sense of responsibility.

Symbolism

Snowy embodies faithful friendship, conscience, and humanity. His small stature against vast backdrops — deserts, oceans, or mountains — reflects the courage of the ordinary being confronting the extraordinary.

Hergé also used Snowy as Tintin’s moral counterpoint. Where Tintin is noble and self-controlled, Snowy expresses fear, greed, or irritation — emotions Tintin rarely shows. This contrast grounds the stories in realism and humour.

As mi-ange, Snowy symbolises goodness tempered by imperfection: loyalty tested by temptation, virtue shadowed by instinct. His “half-angel” quality makes him both relatable and endearing.

Artistic Significance

From an artistic standpoint, Snowy allowed Hergé to demonstrate his skill in visual expression. Through subtle changes in Snowy’s posture, eyebrows, or tail, Hergé conveyed emotion with cinematic precision. The dog’s reactions — wide-eyed terror, indignation, joy — often drive the rhythm of a scene.

Snowy also serves as the reader’s perspective within Tintin’s world, voicing the scepticism or exasperation that Tintin himself suppresses.

Legacy

Snowy remains one of the most iconic animals in modern literature and comics. His image — bounding alongside Tintin, tail high, full of energy and loyalty — encapsulates the purity of friendship.

Across generations, readers have admired him not only as a faithful companion but as a symbol of conscience, courage, and humour. His “half-angel” nature endures as the essence of what makes The Adventures of Tintin timeless: a celebration of humanity’s better instincts, seen through the eyes of a loyal dog.

Conclusion

Snowy is the heart of Tintin’s world — brave, flawed, affectionate, and always faithful. Through him, Hergé captured the most enduring truth of the series: that heroism is nothing without loyalty, and that even in a universe of danger and intrigue, compassion is what brings every adventure home.

Why Buy from Us?

At Hornseys, we are committed to offering items that meet the highest standards of quality and authenticity. Our collection of objects and rare books are carefully curated to ensure each edition is a valuable piece of bibliographical history. Here’s what sets us apart:

• Authenticity and Provenance: Each item is meticulously researched and verified for authenticity and collation.
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Cataloguer: Daniel Hornsey

Daniel Hornsey has specialised in fine and rare books, ephemera, and collectors’ editions for over thirty years. As a long-standing member of the antiquarian book trade, he has advised private collectors, curated catalogues, and sourced works for leading dealers, libraries and institutions across the world.

Hornseys’ exhibit regularly at book and map fairs in London and throughout the UK and are members of the Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association, the PBFA.

His fascination with Hergé’s work — especially ‘The Adventures of Tintin’ — began in childhood. Daniel recalls reading Tintin in original European editions and quickly recognising that these were not merely children’s books, but finely illustrated narratives crafted with artistic depth and wit.

As noted by the Musée Hergé in Louvain-la-Neuve, Hergé’s ‘ligne claire’ style has influenced generations of European comic artists and his original drawings and paintings command very high prices with his painting of ‘The Blue Lotus’ jar fetching £2.8m at auction in 2021.

By presenting these works through Hornseys’, he hopes to contribute to the continued appreciation of one of the 20th century’s most influential illustrators, helping new generations discover the artistry and legacy of Hergé.