Lortac

Robert Alphonse Collard, who worked under the name Lortac, was born in Cherbourg, France, on November 19, 1884, and died in Paris on April 10, 1973. A versatile French artist, he was a writer, illustrator, portraitist, animator, and art critic. Lortac is best known for his long association with the popular French comic series *Les Pieds Nickelés*, a mischievous trio of scoundrels whose adventures he wrote and drew for many years. His career in comics began in the early 20th century, and he became a key figure in French bande dessinée. His signature style was clean and expressive, well-suited to the humorous, slapstick tone of the series. Beyond *Les Pieds Nickelés*, Lortac also contributed to titles such as *Meteor* and *Météor*, and worked on *Panorama du feu*. His collaborative work included illustrating scripts by other writers. Lortac’s legacy is that of a pioneer in French animation and a steady hand in one of the country’s longest-running comic strips. He was active in the medium from 1910 until well after World War II, with his work appearing in collections as late as 2018.