Martine (2)

Martine is the heroine of a series of adventures from the collection “Farandole”, published by Casterman Editions, especially for little girls. In 1954, the cartoonist Marcel Marlier received “Martine à la ferme” (“Martine at the farm”), a text by Gilbert Delahaye, a poet and an employee at Casterman, for his illustration. Marcel Marlier was an outstanding illustrator who was always inspired by everyday situations. To draw Martine, he therefore called upon a little girl of six who posed in his workshop. But the little girl grew up, and the facial features changed. The artist then called in another little girl to draw and photograph her; and so it was repeated. Martine's face varied, her way of dressing and her surroundings changed.  And readers identified with the little heroine in each adventure, without being bothered by these changes. It was a real publishing phenomenon. For several years, only the author's name appeared on the cover. In order to gain better market penetration in Flanders, Casterman Verlag translated the name Gilbert Delahaye as Gijs Haag. Martine à la ferme was translated into Picard by Bruno Delmotte: Martine à l'cense.