The court of Marseille on Thursday sentenced the French artist Christophe Tixier, alias Peppone, to pay more than 100,000 euros in damages to the SA Moulinsart for “plagging” Tintin.
–
Peppone makes busts that he covers with fragments from comics. He did that with Tintin, but also with Mickey Mouse, the Hulk and Snoopy, for example. He was sued by Fanny Vlamynck, Hergé’s widow, and the Moulinsart company, which manages the estate. They demanded 200,000 euros in damages.
The artist invoked the right to free expression. Moreover, according to him, Tintin is not an original creation of Hergé, but the character was inspired by a figure by artist Benjamin Rabier. The heirs denied that.
The court found that the character Tintin, created by Hergé, is “an original work within the meaning of intellectual property law”.
Peppone, together with the gallery that exhibited the busts in question, must pay 114,157 euros in damages to Moulinsart, among others. The sale of the works of art is also prohibited.
Tixier has announced through his lawyer that he will appeal.
– .
