You may recognise them, or your parents or grandparents may recognise them... 1950s / 1960s France knew all about Peynet. Kaye Webb of Perpetua (publishers) and wife of the cartoon artist Ronald Searle, first published Peynet's Lovers in the UK in the 1950s.
By the 1970s interest had spread further afield and an Italian film was released with a soundtrack by Ennio Morricone, 'Il giro del mondo degli innamorati di Peynet' (1974). Peynet memorabilia became a common sight by the 70s with the lovers appearing on all sorts of items from scarves, to jewellery, china and more. Collections of his drawings were published in 13 countries. The Japanese kept this love of Peynet's drawing alive into the 1990s and in 1995 commemorated the lovers with a bronze statue and Peynet-style bandstand in Hiroshima, and the 90s also saw major exhibitions of Peynet's work in both Paris and London. The Japanese have a Peynet museum in Karuizawa, Nagano; with further Peynet museums are to be found in France - in Antibes and Auvergne.
Here are a few of my Peynet favourites:
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| "Oh, how this music transports me!" (The Lovers' Bedside Book, Perpetua 1956) |
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| "3D glasses, explanatory booklets, aspirin..." (The Lovers' Bedside Book, Perpetua 1956) |
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| "Please, don't stop playing" (The Lovers' Travelogue, Perpetua 1955) |
Peynet's lovers proved the inspiration for George Brassens's song, 'Les amoureux des bancs publics' and Charles Aznavour wrote a song for Marcel Amont inspired by the Lovers, 'Les Amoureux de papier'.
I'm convinced that Peynet's lovers must have inspired another favourite cartoonist of mine, New Zealand cartoonist Kim Casali (née Grove) and her wonderful 'Love is...' cartoons, at the peak of their popularity in the 1970s (I sense another blog post coming on...).
But where did it all begin?
Born in Paris on the 16th November 1908, Raymond must have showed early promise and was admitted to the École des Arts Appliqués in Paris at the age of 15. From there he went on to work at a Parisian advertising agency, Tolmer, known for their Deco-style adverts and their appealing modern designs of the 1920s and 30s. His first cartoon was published in a magazine for English Parisians, 'The Boulvardier' and in 1930 he married Denise Damour (what a wonderfully appropriate surname, especially as she must have been Raymond's muse).
In 1942 the famous lovers were conceived. Raymond sketched a beautiful bandstand on a visit to the town of Valence in the Rhône and added in the characters of a violinist playing to a young lady. These were later altered into the charming little poet and his lady love and thus 'Les Amoureux de Peynet' were born.
Raymond Peynet continued to work well into his eighties and died in 1999, three years after his wife Denise.
If any readers know where to find the 1974 film 'Il giro del mondo degli innamorati di Peynet' then please do let me know as I would love to track it down. In the meantime I'll leave you with a few more romantic cartoons:
