Marcel GOTLIB Rétrospective

The first major gallery exhibition dedicated to the work of  Marcel Gotlib (1934-2016), a key figure, and an immensely popular one, in the world of French comics, this retrospective tracesthe entire career of a cult artist whose influence spans generations and continues to leave its mark on the landscape of the 9th art.

From Gai-Luron to La Rubrique-à-Brac and Les Dingodossiers to Rhââ Lovely, Gotlib participated in the evolution of French comics towards a teenage and later adult readership while establishing a unique brand of humour that blends absurdity, erudition, social satire and tenderness. His comics career also coincided with the development of the French press, spanning the periodfrom Vaillant and Pif Gadget to Pilote, L’Écho des Savanes (to which he was one of the first to contribute) and Fluide Glacial (which he founded).

An extremely talented artist, peerless writer of dialogue, and sharp observer of French society, Marcel Gotlib revolutionised the conventions of humorous storytelling. His sense of pacing, his instantly recognisable inking style and his iconic lettering all contributed to producing a body of work admired by the general public and contemporary creators alike.

This exhibition brings together original artworks from the entire span of Midam’s career, highlighting the richness, both graphic and narrative, of his work. It also underscores the growing recognition of the latter on the art market. The cover art for La Rubrique-à-Brac, Volume 5, fetched €91,000 (excluding fees) at a 2025 sale, while the cover for Rhââ Lovely, Volume 2, sold for €50,600 (excluding fees) in 2026. This year, an iconic page from the La Rubrique-à-Brac story "Comment il naquit" sold for €30,000 (excluding fees).

Aside from developments on the art market, this exhibition is above all a celebration of an artist whose laughter has a profoundly human resonance. As Arnaud Le Gouéfflec writes, “Gotlib’s laugher is radical because it’s therapeutic.” It is laughter devoid of cynicism and capable of defusing solemnity, subverting conventions and speaking freely to each and every one of us. 

Marcel Gotlib continues to be part of our lives because he never stopped sharing his way of viewing the world and playing with words, images and ideas, while also conveying a sense of immense creative freedom. This exhibition aims to pay tribute to an artist who remains, to this day, one of the great masters of the comics genre.

OPENING 
Tursday 3 September 2026
from 6 p.m.

EXHIBITION
From Friday 4 September
to Saturday 10 October 2026

PARIS | Matignon
36 avenue Matignon, 75008 Paris
Wednesday > Saturday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.