Grzegorz Rosinski
Encyclopedia
Grzegorz Rosiński is a Polish
comic book artist. He is best known for the series Thorgal
.
in 1941. In 1967 he graduated the Liceum of Fine Arts in Warsaw
and then joined the Academy of Fine Arts of Warsaw.
series of the time, including the Illustrated History of Poland
, Kapitan Żbik
and Pilot śmigłowca. Initially publishing his comic books only in newspapers and magazines (among them Sztandar Młodych), with time his works start to be published separately. He is also the creator and the first editor of the Relax magazine, the first Polish language magazine devoted solely to comic books.
In 1976 Rosiński received a scholarship in Belgium
, where he met Jean Van Hamme
, who wrote for him the series Thorgal
, one of the most popular European comic book series. Since 1980, 31 volumes have been published. The comic has appeared in Tintin magazine
. Rosiński also has made some comics for the Spirou
magazine, under the pseudonym 'Rosek'. Although he returned to Poland, he continued in the next decades to collaborate with Belgian and French authors. In 1980 he started another successful series of comic books named Hans, this time with André-Paul Duchâteau
. In 1992 Rosiński is replaced by Zbigniew Kasprzak (Kas) as the artist of the series.
After the imposition of the Martial Law in Poland
in 1981, Rosiński moved to Belgium. At first, he lived with Jean Van Hamme while his wife and three kids stay behind in Warsaw. A few years later he received Belgian citizenship. He became one of the most popular authors of comic books in Western Europe. Among his later works are a series Chninkel (with Van Hamme) started in 1987 and a 1992 series titled La complainte des landes perdues (with Jean Dufaux
). In 2001 the Rosiński-Van Hamme duo published yet another comic book titled Western, based on a western
plot, in which Rosiński changed his style considerably. Since 2004 he published a series on Count Skarbek (with Yves Sente
).
In 2011, a major exhibition has been showed during the summer in the medieval town of Saint-Ursanne
, Switzerland. See www.rosinski2011.com
.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
comic book artist. He is best known for the series Thorgal
Thorgal
Thorgal is a critically acclaimed Belgian comic book series by the Belgian writer Jean Van Hamme and the Polish graphic artist Grzegorz Rosiński. It first appeared in serial form in the "Tintin" magazine in 1977, and has been published in hardcover volumes by Le Lombard from 1980 on...
.
Early life
Grzegorz Rosiński was born in Stalowa WolaStalowa Wola
Stalowa Wola is the largest city and capital of Stalowa Wola County with a population of 64,353 inhabitants, as of June 2008. It is located in southeastern Poland in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship...
in 1941. In 1967 he graduated the Liceum of Fine Arts in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
and then joined the Academy of Fine Arts of Warsaw.
Career
Until late 1970s he authored numerous book illustrations for various Polish publishers and authors. He also authors some of the most popular Polish comic bookComic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series of the time, including the Illustrated History of Poland
History of Poland
The History of Poland is rooted in the arrival of the Slavs, who gave rise to permanent settlement and historic development on Polish lands. During the Piast dynasty Christianity was adopted in 966 and medieval monarchy established...
, Kapitan Żbik
Kapitan Zbik
Kapitan Żbik is a Polish comic book series published in years 1967-1982. Title hero, Jan Żbik is a Milicja Obywatelska captain.There were 53 comics about Żbik released. A sequel, entitled Komisarz Żbik , was started in 2006...
and Pilot śmigłowca. Initially publishing his comic books only in newspapers and magazines (among them Sztandar Młodych), with time his works start to be published separately. He is also the creator and the first editor of the Relax magazine, the first Polish language magazine devoted solely to comic books.
In 1976 Rosiński received a scholarship in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, where he met Jean Van Hamme
Jean Van Hamme
Jean Van Hamme is a Belgian novelist and comic book writer. He has written scripts for a number of Belgian/French comic series, including Histoire sans héros, Thorgal, XIII and Largo Winch.-Early years:...
, who wrote for him the series Thorgal
Thorgal
Thorgal is a critically acclaimed Belgian comic book series by the Belgian writer Jean Van Hamme and the Polish graphic artist Grzegorz Rosiński. It first appeared in serial form in the "Tintin" magazine in 1977, and has been published in hardcover volumes by Le Lombard from 1980 on...
, one of the most popular European comic book series. Since 1980, 31 volumes have been published. The comic has appeared in Tintin magazine
Tintin (magazine)
Le journal de Tintin or Kuifje , was a weekly Belgian comics magazine of the second half of the 20th century...
. Rosiński also has made some comics for the Spirou
Spirou (magazine)
Spirou magazine is a weekly Belgian comics magazine published by the Dupuis company...
magazine, under the pseudonym 'Rosek'. Although he returned to Poland, he continued in the next decades to collaborate with Belgian and French authors. In 1980 he started another successful series of comic books named Hans, this time with André-Paul Duchâteau
André-Paul Duchâteau
André-Paul Duchâteau is a Belgian comics writer and mystery novelist. He worked with Tibet on Ric Hochet. He has also written under the pseudonym Michel Vasseur.-Awards:*1974: Grand Prix de Littérature Policière - French Prize...
. In 1992 Rosiński is replaced by Zbigniew Kasprzak (Kas) as the artist of the series.
After the imposition of the Martial Law in Poland
Martial law in Poland
Martial law in Poland refers to the period of time from December 13, 1981 to July 22, 1983, when the authoritarian government of the People's Republic of Poland drastically restricted normal life by introducing martial law in an attempt to crush political opposition to it. Thousands of opposition...
in 1981, Rosiński moved to Belgium. At first, he lived with Jean Van Hamme while his wife and three kids stay behind in Warsaw. A few years later he received Belgian citizenship. He became one of the most popular authors of comic books in Western Europe. Among his later works are a series Chninkel (with Van Hamme) started in 1987 and a 1992 series titled La complainte des landes perdues (with Jean Dufaux
Jean Dufaux
Jean Dufaux is a Belgian comic book writer. Initially beginning his professional career as a journalist for "CINÉ-PRESSE", Dufaux started writing comic books in the 1980s...
). In 2001 the Rosiński-Van Hamme duo published yet another comic book titled Western, based on a western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
plot, in which Rosiński changed his style considerably. Since 2004 he published a series on Count Skarbek (with Yves Sente
Yves Sente
Yves Sente is a Belgian comic book editor and author. He is known as writer for Blake and Mortimer and Thorgal.-Biography:Yves Sente was born in Uccle near Brussels in 1964...
).
In 2011, a major exhibition has been showed during the summer in the medieval town of Saint-Ursanne
Saint-Ursanne
Saint Ursanne is a city and a former municipality of the district of Porrentruy in the canton of Jura, Switzerland which has preserved its medieval character. The city contains many historical curiosities, including collegiate churches, a cloister, ruins of a castle, and a hermitage...
, Switzerland. See www.rosinski2011.com
Personal life
Currently, Grzegorz Rosiński lives in SwitzerlandSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Selected bibliography
- ThorgalThorgalThorgal is a critically acclaimed Belgian comic book series by the Belgian writer Jean Van Hamme and the Polish graphic artist Grzegorz Rosiński. It first appeared in serial form in the "Tintin" magazine in 1977, and has been published in hardcover volumes by Le Lombard from 1980 on...
1980-still published (with Jean van HammeJean Van HammeJean Van Hamme is a Belgian novelist and comic book writer. He has written scripts for a number of Belgian/French comic series, including Histoire sans héros, Thorgal, XIII and Largo Winch.-Early years:...
and Yves SenteYves SenteYves Sente is a Belgian comic book editor and author. He is known as writer for Blake and Mortimer and Thorgal.-Biography:Yves Sente was born in Uccle near Brussels in 1964...
), 31 albums, Le LombardLe LombardLe Lombard or Lombard Editions is a Belgian comic book publisher established in 1946 when the Tintin magazine was launched. In 1986 the company was acquired by Média-Participations.-Titles:Lombard's more famous series include:*Clifton... - Hans 1983-1996 (with André-Paul DuchâteauAndré-Paul DuchâteauAndré-Paul Duchâteau is a Belgian comics writer and mystery novelist. He worked with Tibet on Ric Hochet. He has also written under the pseudonym Michel Vasseur.-Awards:*1974: Grand Prix de Littérature Policière - French Prize...
), 5 albums solo, 3 albums together with Kas, Le Lombard - The fantastic boottrip 1987-1988 (with J-C Smit Le Bénédicte), 2 albums, Le Lombard
- Chninkel 1988 (with Jean van HammeJean Van HammeJean Van Hamme is a Belgian novelist and comic book writer. He has written scripts for a number of Belgian/French comic series, including Histoire sans héros, Thorgal, XIII and Largo Winch.-Early years:...
), 1 album, CastermanCastermanCasterman is a publisher of Franco-Belgian comics, specializing in comic books and children's literature. The company is based in Tournai, Belgium.Founded in 1780, Casterman was originally a printing company and publishing house... - La complainte des landes perdues 1993-1998 (with Jean DufauxJean DufauxJean Dufaux is a Belgian comic book writer. Initially beginning his professional career as a journalist for "CINÉ-PRESSE", Dufaux started writing comic books in the 1980s...
), 4 albums, DargaudDargaudLes Éditions Dargaud is a publisher of Franco-Belgian comics series, headquartered in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. It was founded in 1943 by Georges Dargaud.Initially, Dargaud published novels for women... - Western 2001 (with Jean van HammeJean Van HammeJean Van Hamme is a Belgian novelist and comic book writer. He has written scripts for a number of Belgian/French comic series, including Histoire sans héros, Thorgal, XIII and Largo Winch.-Early years:...
), 1 album, Le Lombard - The revenge of count Skarbek 2004-2005 (with Yves SenteYves SenteYves Sente is a Belgian comic book editor and author. He is known as writer for Blake and Mortimer and Thorgal.-Biography:Yves Sente was born in Uccle near Brussels in 1964...
), 2 albums, Dargaud
Awards
- 1979: Award for Best Realistic Artwork at the Prix Saint-MichelPrix Saint-MichelThe Prix Saint-Michel is a series of comic awards presented by the city of Brussels, with a focus on Franco-Belgian comics. They were first awarded in 1971, and are the second oldest comics award in Europe still presented, behind the Adamson Awards...
, BrusselsBrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium - 1983: Award for Best Comic at the Prix Saint-Michel
- 1987: Grand prix des Alpages, SierreSierreSierre is the capital of the district of Sierre in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a population of 14,355.It is situated on the French–German language border of the canton of Wallis...
, SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... - 1989: Audience awardAngoulême International Comics Festival Prize Awarded by the AudienceThis Prize Awarded by the Audience is awarded to comics authors at the Angoulême International Comics Festival since 1989.The prize was known as Alph-Art du public from 1989-2003, the Prix du public from 2004-2006, and since 2007 the Essentiel FNAC-SNCF, since it is sponsored by the retailer Fnac...
at the Angoulême International Comics FestivalAngoulême International Comics FestivalThe Angoulême International Comics Festival is the largest comics festival in Europe. It has occurred every year since 1974 in Angoulême, France, in the month of January.The four-day festival is notable for awarding several prestigious prizes in cartooning...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... - 1990: nominated for Best Long Comic Strip at the Haxtur AwardHaxtur AwardThe Haxtur Award is a Spanish award for comics published in Spain. It is awarded annually at the Salón Internacional del Cómic del Principado de Asturias ....
s, SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... - 1991: winner of the Best Drawing award and the Public Vote award and nominated for Best Short Comic Strip at the Haxtur Awards
- 1994: nominated for Best Cover at the Haxtur Awards
- 2003: nominated for the Audience Award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival
- 2004: Grand Prix Saint-Michel
-
- - nominated for Best Short Comic Strip at the Haxtur Awards
- 2005: Sanglier d’Or at the festival of NîmesNîmesNîmes is the capital of the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
, France
- 2005: Sanglier d’Or at the festival of Nîmes
- - nominated for the Audience Award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival
- - nominated for Best Short Comic Strip and Best Cover at the Haxtur Awards
- 2006: nominated for Best Comic (French language) at the Prix Saint-Michel
- - nominated for Best Long Comic Strip a Best Drawing at the Haxtur Awards
- - nominated for Best Short Comic Strip at the Haxtur Awards