| It is in 1906 that he started to specialized in books for children. He met great success with animal stories, seldom domestic ones. And so we credit him with the caracter of Gedeon the duck. |  |
Benjamin Rabier was born at La Roche-sur-Yon, December 30, 1864.
Former Revenue Inspector for the city of
Paris, he became a drawing artist and first worked for the Imagerie d'Epinal.
He then started to publish his caricatures and drawings in different papers
and periodicals of the times.
| It is in 1906 that he started to specialized in books for children. He met great success with animal stories, seldom domestic ones. And so we credit him with the caracter of Gedeon the duck. | |
There are also a few short animations, cut up, published by Pathé Baby in 1932
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THE LAUGHING COW |
| April 16th 1921, Leon Bel copyrighted the label La vache qui rit (The Laughing Cow) and the drawing of a laughing cow, which he enhanced himself from a drawing by Benjamin Rabier, a logo used by "The truck supplying fresh meat" during World War I, 1914-1918. This logo was nicknamed "La Wachkyrie". (Wach for "Vache" (Cow) Kyrie for "Qui Rit" (Laughing)) |  |
| In 1922 - Léon Bel, after consulting with a few illustrators, choose the project by Benjamin Rabier (1864-1939). He asked the Printer Vercasson to touch-up the drawing : the cow becomes red, wearing earrings shaped like the box of The Laughing Cow brand. |
In
1923, Vercasson copyrighted the drawing under his name, with the
title "Vache rouge"(The Red Cow). A law suit ensued which
ends with Bel having to pay damages to Vercasson's descendant, in order to use the red color for The Laughing Cow final logo. |
Some of the illustrations
shown above
are now available as giclee
reproductions.
All limited Editions of 175,
From 01 to 07 printed on Arches Paper,
price: $600.00 or stretched on canvas $750.00 (color only)
From 08 to 175 on Epson paper Photo
quality black & white,or color, price: $250.00
All with the same measurements:
Arches Paper:
Mat: 20" x 20"
Picture: 15"1/2 x 15"1/2
On Canvas:
50.7cm x 50.7 cm
Stretched: $750.00
Delivered in a tube. Price includes delivery
to your door: $600.00 (USA only)
La Boutique |