From the Karaboudjan to the Pachacamac

The port of Callao in Peru. Tintin and Captain Haddock are looking for their friend Professor Calculus, who has been kidnapped by authentic descendants of the Inca people. The heroes are convinced that the Professor is being held prisoner on the cargo ship, Pachacamac. But the ship is flying the yellow flag, and the yellow and blue pennant which indicates there is a contagious disease on board. Tintin, convinced it’s a ruse, decides to search the ship at night.

© Hergé - Moulinsart 2021 - Atelier Christian de Portzamparc

Excerpt from page 6 of Prisoners of the Sun (1949), this vignette without dialogue, has everything to seduce us. It combines the ingredients of a successful composition, both in terms of form and content.

This new dynamic visual, replaces another strong image, also inspired by the maritime world. What could be more natural for a building that resembles an imposing liner moored on the shores of the welcoming Brabant land?

We are in pure action and Tintin embodies it wonderfully. His youth, vitality and audacity are all signs that make sense in Louvain-la-Neuve, the university town that saw the creation of the Hergé Museum 12 years ago.

More than ever, the Hergé Museum invites you to discover its graphic treasures, conceived and designed by a multi- talented artist.

Now ready for boarding!