The cartoonist and caricaturist Jacques-Armand Cardon, known by his signature Cardon, has died in Angers at the age of 89. His death was announced on Tuesday by his daughters. He was one of the leading figures of the... Chained duck, to which he had been collaborating since 1973.
From Le Havre to the great writers of satire
Born in Le Havre in November 1936, Cardon initially worked at the Lorient arsenal from his teenage years before turning to drawing in the early 1960s. Throughout his career, he also collaborated on Hara Kiri, Siné Massacre, Humanity et Le Monde, in addition to his long presence in the satirical weekly.
A unique feature, an instantly recognizable signature
His style was instantly recognizable. Cardon often drew his characters from behind, with dense hatching and very few, if any, speech bubbles. This unique graphic style became his trademark.
To depict the powerful without ever flattering them
This unique approach has emerged over the decades as his own particular way of engaging with power. In 2010, L'Échappée publishing house released his collection View from behind like 30 years of political cartoons where he “executes the powerful with a single stroke”.
Beyond political cartoons, his work was also imbued with a philosophical and autobiographical dimension. His book CathedralPublished in 2020, it was presented by Cardon as a testamentary book, a reflection on the human condition nourished by childhood, war and the disappearance of his father.
From page to screen, a complete artist
Cardon also left his mark on animated film. His short film The Footprint, made in 1974, received the first work prize at the Annecy Festival in 1975. The same year, the film was also included in the official selection of short films in competition at the Cannes Film Festival.
