Grzegorz Rosiński

• born 1941
• born in Stalowa Wola
• he works and creates his works in Burgdorf (Switzerland)
• he specializes in comics, illustrations and painting

“I treat characters like actors. If they act well, I let them act; if not, I sack them. I have always avoided being fashionable. There is nothing more permanent than the classic drawing style. When I am drawing a tree, I am a tree; when I am drawing a horse, I am a horse”.

He graduated in 1967 from prof. Jan Marcin Szancer’s Studio of Illustration at the Faculty of Graphic Arts of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. He worked as the art director of the “Relax” magazine. In 1981, he left Poland. He is the author of drawings for “Thorgal”, one of the most important European cartoon series, and to “Szninkiel” as well as the first six volumes of “Yans”. He is recognized as one of the most eminent cartoon artists. His works have been presented in many individual exhibitions, including in Angoulême, Paris, Versailles, Brussels, Lausanne or Krakow.

The most important publications: “Kapitan Żbik” (art), various story authors, 11 volumes, Sport i Turystyka, 1968‒1972; “Thorgal” (art), story by J. V. Hamme, X. Dorison, Y. Sente, Yann, Vol. 1‒36, Le Lombard, 1980‒2018; “Szninkiel” (art), story by J.V. Hamme, X Dorison, Y. Sente, Yann, Casterman, 1988; “Yans” (art), story by A.-P. Duchâteau, 6 volumes, Le Lombard, 1983‒1993; “Skarga Utraconych Ziem” (art), story by J. Dufaux, Dargaud, 1993‒1998; “Zemsta hrabiego Skarbka”, Dargaud, 2004‒2005; “Western” (art), story by J. V. Hamme, Le Lombard, 2001.

The most important awards and distinctions: Grand Prix Saint-Michel, Brussels, 1983; Alph’Art Audience Award, Angoulême, 1996; Officer’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta, Bern, 2006; Silver Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis, Łódź, 2007; Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of the Officier, Versailles, 2013, and many more.

Grzegorz Rosiński is one of the best-known European comics artists. His case involves a certain paradox of artistic achievements. His traditional realistic artistic style is recognizable all over the world; however, Rosiński believes that there is no greater limitation for an artist than limiting oneself to a specific style. Thus, he constantly seeks new manners of expression, oscillates between illustration and painting as well as has an increasingly free attitude to comics drawings. As a result, he creates silent double splash pages, drawn with a painter’s flourish. For decades, Rosiński has changed his styles and tools, choosing pencil, ink, watercolour, pastels or gouache. In his works, in particular in covers, a painterly component has always been visible. However, it was not until the 21st century that he replaced a traditional drawing with the “direct colour” technique, which he had used in illustrations or book covers. There, each panel is painted as a separate image; the contour is only an addition as Rosiński resigns from contours typical for comics as well.
Regardless from his manner of work, his comics are always very vivid and detailed so as to reflect the scenery and, most of all, character’s emotions as best as possible; that is why, what is of great importance in Rosiński’s works is the choice of colours, although the artist is equally suggestive in colourful panels as in black and white ones. His comics include lots of references to mythology and religion as well as films, literature and paintings.

Grzegorz Rosiński Gallery

More information about the artist: thorgal.com