Pierre Joubert

Having lived through the 20th century, Pierre Joubert, through his talent and hard work, contributed significantly to the growth of children’s literature. Among all French realist illustrators, he is one of those who profoundly influenced comic art and three generations of illustrators (including René Follet, MiTacq, Patrice Pellerin and Emmanuel Lepage). 

Highly regarded in the art market, Pierre Joubert’s works—particularly those depicting Scouting and La Vie privée des hommes—are highly sought after by collectors. In 2021, the auction house Daniel Maghen Enchères set the world record for the 1972 cover of Scoutorama, which sold for €31,200—more than five times its estimate. 

Born in Paris in 1910, Pierre Joubert enrolled at the École des Arts appliqués at the age of 14, where his first drawings were published. His introduction to the Scout movement opened the doors to the magazine Scout de France, with which he collaborated for over thirty years. Whilst doing his military service in Strasbourg, he witnessed the launch of the Signe de Piste series and quickly became its iconic illustrator for fifty years. In the 1950s, he worked for Marabout Publishers and left a lasting mark on the Marabout Junior series, notably by creating the character of Bob Morane. Passionate about history and the navy, he illustrated numerous historical, encyclopaedic and literary works. On his death in 2002, he left behind an exceptional body of work comprising over 15,000 drawings.  Complete biography