Asterix creator's four original drawings sold for 400,000 euros to help Paris hospitals

Four original drawings by Albert Uderzo, the creator of Asterix the Gaul has been reportedly sold for nearly 4,00,000 euros. The drawings, which included images from the cartoon’s recent adventures, were auctioned on May 26 to aid hospitals in Paris. Uderzo passed away at the age of 92, from a heart attack in March.

According to the auction house Artcurial, which sold the drawings, the cartoons were sold for a whopping 3,90,000 euros. The four original cartoons included images from Asterix's recent adventures, “Asterix and the Secret Weapon" and "Asterix and Obelix All At Sea”. All of them were reportedly donated to the hospitals by the artist's widow and daughter. Speaking to international media reports, his widow, Ada said that the charity was a way of thanking the “new heroes” who have resisted the “invader”.

'Wanted to join the nation'

Thanking Underzo’s family, the auction house said that his wife Ada and his daughter Sylvie wanted to join the nation in paying tribute to "French hospital staff" for their work during the pandemic. According to John Hopkins University, the COVID-19 pandemic has infected 1,82,847 french residents out of whom 28,533 have died. 

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Albert Uderzo is often referred to as the father of Asterix. He and Rene Goscinny were the co-creators of the acclaimed comic series and were responsible for the creation of the iconic Gaul village that single-handedly fought the Roman Empire. The two creators were also the ones who designed Asterix's large, strong, and dim-witted companion, Obelix. 

During the early years of the Asterix comics, Albert Uderzo worked as the illustrator for the series while Rene Goscinny wrote the story. However, when Rene passed away in 1977, Albert Uderzo took on the role of both writer and illustrator, creating entire volumes all by himself.

Uderzo's first Asterix comic was published and 1959 and the comic maker worked on the series until his retirement in 2009. However, Asterix comics continued to be published even after Uderzo's retirement, with the latest comic being released only a year back in October of 2019. 

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(Image credits: Artcurial/Official website)