Tintin By Plane – 6 – The Yellow Biplane In Tintin In The Congo – Le Biplan Jaune De Tintin Au Congo – En Avion Tintin

Author: Hergé & Editions Moulinsart
Price: £65.00
Publisher: Editions Moulinsart
Publication date: 2014
Format: Original pictorial boards with plane on plinth
Condition: In near fine condition
Illustrations: Illustrated throughout

Description:

Original pictorial boards. Text in French. Includes the accompanying model and figurine. One from the collection of 50 books and models. Very slight wear. In very near fine, clean condition overall.

Tintin In The Congo: A Brief Account

Tintin in the Congo (Tintin au Congo), first published in 1931, is the second volume in The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé (Georges Remi). It remains one of the most discussed and controversial works in the series—an early example of Hergé’s storytelling skill, yet one that also reflects the colonial attitudes and racial stereotypes of its era. Today it is regarded as both a historical document of European thought in the early twentieth century and a formative step in Hergé’s artistic and moral development.

The story follows Tintin, a young Belgian reporter, and his dog Snowy as they travel to the Belgian Congo, then under colonial rule. Their official purpose is journalistic, but Tintin soon becomes involved in a series of adventures involving big-game hunting, local wildlife, diamond smugglers, and hostile tribesmen. Throughout, Tintin acts as the intrepid, morally upright hero typical of early adventure fiction—resourceful, brave, and self-assured—but the narrative framework is deeply shaped by the paternalistic ideology of the period.

From a stylistic standpoint, Tintin in the Congo displays Hergé’s emerging artistic precision. His drawings, though less refined than in later albums, already reveal the foundations of the ligne claire style: clean outlines, clear composition, and a narrative rhythm guided by visual clarity. The African landscapes, animals, and colonial infrastructure—such as steam trains, mission schools, and trading posts—are depicted with a mixture of imaginative curiosity and second-hand observation, as Hergé had never visited Africa. His references came largely from missionary journals, Belgian press imagery, and illustrated travel books of the late 1920s, which presented the Congo through a Eurocentric and idealised lens.

Thematically, the album reflects the colonial mindset of the time, portraying Africans as naïve, childlike, and dependent on European guidance. Tintin is presented as a benevolent figure who “educates” and protects the locals—a narrative deeply problematic by modern standards. Scenes involving Tintin teaching lessons to Congolese children, hunting animals for sport, or treating the inhabitants with patronising familiarity are now widely recognised as offensive. Modern readers and scholars interpret these depictions as a product of the colonial propaganda prevalent in Belgium during the interwar years.

In later life, Hergé expressed discomfort with the attitudes shown in Tintin in the Congo. He acknowledged that, at the time, he had been influenced by the uncritical worldview of his environment—particularly the Catholic, colonialist publications for which he was working as a young illustrator. His later works, notably The Blue Lotus (1936), show a significant moral and intellectual evolution: a shift towards cultural empathy, political awareness, and respect for non-European societies.

Despite its ideological shortcomings, Tintin in the Congo also reveals early signs of Hergé’s storytelling craft—his pacing, his eye for humour, and his fascination with technology and adventure. The action sequences are energetic, and the depiction of Tintin’s ingenuity—building rafts, repairing vehicles, and outwitting villains—foreshadows the qualities that would define his later, more mature adventures.

Modern editions of the album are frequently accompanied by contextual introductions or disclaimers, explaining its historical background and warning readers about its outdated and offensive portrayals. It is now studied as an example of colonial-era popular culture, valuable less for its narrative content than for what it reveals about European attitudes towards Africa in the early twentieth century.

In literary and cultural terms, Tintin in the Congo stands as a transitional work—artistically significant but ethically troubling. It documents the early stages of Hergé’s development as an artist while exposing the biases of his time. As such, it serves as both an object of critical reflection and a reminder of how far the Tintin series—and its creator—would evolve in sophistication, empathy, and human understanding.

Why Buy from Us?

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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.