Original Asterix in Britain cover fetches record 1.47 million euros at Belgian auction

Auction in Liège

The original cover illustration for the comic album "Asterix in Britain" sold for 1.2 million euros at an auction in Liège, Belgium, on Sunday afternoon. With buyer fees included, the final price reached 1.474 million euros, setting a world record for an original work by French comic artist Albert Uderzo. The sale was organized by the Belgian auction house BD Enchères, with results reported by the Belga news agency. Pre-sale estimates for the cover had ranged between 150,000 and 200,000 euros, meaning the winning bid exceeded expectations more than sixfold. The identity of the winning bidder was not disclosed.

The artwork and dedication

Created by Uderzo using gouache on cardboard, the physical illustration measures 34 by 47 centimetres. Gouache relies on an opaque water-based paint that contains higher pigment density than standard watercolour, giving the composition dense, solid colours. The cover scene portrays Asterix, Obelix, and their British cousin Anticlimax escaping with a barrel of magic potion while pursued across a field by rugby players.

The cardboard sheet includes an original handwritten dedication written by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo to their publisher, Georges Dargaud. In the note, the two creators wrote that Dargaud was first and foremost their friend before being their publisher. Representatives from BD Enchères described the artistic significance of the original board before the bidding began.

The dynamic and explosive drawing captures the very essence of the alchemy between René Goscinny's script and Uderzo's virtuoso stroke: a blend of movement inherited from Disney, caricatured expressions, and subtle details that marked the history of the 9th art.

Publishing background

"Asterix in Britain" was published in August 1966 as the eighth volume in the Asterix series. Scripted by Goscinny and illustrated by Uderzo, the story is regarded by specialists and fans as one of the standout volumes in the franchise. The narrative follows the Gauls as they travel across the channel to help the Britons fight Roman occupation, satirizing British customs such as afternoon tea, rugby, culinary traditions, and unflappable temperament.

Publisher Georges Dargaud founded Éditions Dargaud in 1943 and held a central position in French-Belgian comic publishing. He acquired the magazine Pilote in 1960 and assisted in the distribution of Le Journal de Tintin, establishing a commercial platform for the series. Uderzo, who co-created the characters with Goscinny, passed away in 2020 at the age of 92.

Comic art market sales

The sale in Liège tops previous market benchmarks for Asterix cover illustrations. In autumn 2017, the original cover artwork for "Asterix and the Banquet" (Le Tour de Gaule) sold for 1.4 million euros at an auction in Paris. That work was executed in gouache and coloured inks and bore personal inscriptions from both Goscinny and Uderzo. Another original cover, created for the album "Asterix and the Chieftain's Shield" (Le Bouclier arverne), previously achieved a price of 1.197 million euros.