Herbert Geldhof

Herbert Geldhof was born on January 13, 1929 in Wasmes.

A graduate in technical drawing from the Academy of Tournai, he began his professional career as a technical draftsman in Lille and during the round trips by train, he met his future wife: Claire, who worked as an executive secretary. In 1951, they left together for Africa, where he lived and worked as a technical draftsman for the Lille firm and for the Special Committee of Katanga (CSK) until 1956.

When he returned to Belgium, he set up a workshop at 39 rue d'Albania in Brussels Saint-Gilles, where he painted portraits and animals from nature, in oil, watercolor or gouache. Then, he worked for the World Press agency of Georges Troisfontaines. His signature appeared in "Spirou" in 1959 with several "Belles Histoires de l'Oncle Paul" on scenarios by Octave Joly, he remained there until 1970.

From 1960 to 1961, he published in "Bonux Boy," an advertising publication for Bonux washing powder, created by Benoît Gillain, Jijé's son. At the same time in 1960, he drew the first story entitled "Safari vers Dialo" from a series by Jean-Michel Charlier "Simba Lee", followed by a second and last story "La Réserve de Karapata" in 1961. The albums were published late at Fordis in 2019.

He wrote various editorial columns for the newspaper "Tintin" in 1961. From 1962, he took courses in sculpture and modeling at the Academy of Ixelles with Maurice Jansegers (1903-1989) and he began a new series "Diégo", young humanist Spaniard who witnessed the conquest of the Inca Empire by the conquistadors at the beginning of the 16th century with Charles Jadoul as writer on the story to follow "Le Pays des quatre vents" and published belatedly by Éditions de l'Age d'Or in 2005. In 1963, "Les Assiégés de Matchu-Pitchu" will follow, the last long episode of this series.

In 1964, Dupuis sent the designer Herbert to Jijé (1914-1980). They will animate two episodes of an African series "Doctor Gladstone", always accompanied by his assistant George, scripted by the same Jadoul.

The first episode which unravels intrigues in black Africa will bear the name of the series and will be published in "Spirou" from July to September 1964, the second episode, "Zone Interdite", appearing from November 1964 to February 1965.

The series allowing him to highlight his knowledge of Africa, in 1965, he will continue this series alone for four other stories: "Refus d'assistance" (1965), "Barrage sur le Lupopo" (1966), "La Nuit des cynocéphales" ( 1968) and finally "La Citadelle" in 1970. Only the "Zone Interdite" episode was published as a limited edition album by Jonas in 1980.

Somewhat disappointed by the lack of success of his stories, he abandoned comics in 1970 to devote himself to painting and sculpture.

Herbert Geldhof creates many sculptures, figurative and animal mainly animals in plaster, terracotta, bronze including a lion, raptor, hippopotamus, monkey, bear, falcon, bird.

He also sculpts in stone using the technique of direct carving — difficult to achieve and giving no room for error — in the raw spirit of the 20th century.

In 1974, he won the sculpture prize and the Saint-Gilles Artist's Journey with a Duck, executed in white stone.

He made a medal for the descendants of the priest J.B. Maldague, guillotined in Paris in 1737, the distribution will be made only among them.

As an artist, he participated in various collective exhibitions: Groupe d'Art Saint-Gillois (1975); at the Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Queen Elisabeth Hall (1976); at La Maison du Peuple in Eugies (1977); at the Galerie Rencontres avenue Louise in Brussels (1978-1979);

Gallery 7 in Mons; Fauna and Flora in Antwerp (1980); Wasmes Museum, paintings 1982; Tournai Natural History Museum; Galerie MJT International artists Mons (1984).

Suffering from several thrombosis, he ceased all artistic activity in 1994.

His works are present in various private collections and museums including the Natural History Museum and Vivarium in Tournai.

Herbert Geldhof died in Brussels in 2007.