Jean Plantureux: A Peace Loving Cartoonist

Decision making plays very important role in a life. Many eminent personalities in the world took different profession in their early phase and changed it after realizing their talent and achieved remarkable position.  Jean Plantureux famous cartoonists from France also chose medical line on his parent’s advice. Later he changed by recognizing an art within him; he became a cartoonist.  Now today he has 3 postal stamps designed for charity, PhD theses on his work done, cartoons published by UNESCO and number of exhibitions around the world.

Jean Plantureux working on cartoons

Jean Plantureux after leaving the medical course, took admission in `Institut Saint-Luc’ an arts school in Brussels, Belgium for a drawing course. Jean Plantureux , also known by professional name 'Plantu', took a course of three years in the art school but could complete only three months due to money problem. Jean Plantureux (Plantu) discovered his passion and liking for political satirical cartoons in this period. Plantu approached several papers to give him a job, finally he got job in `Le Monde’, a French newspaper.  

Jean Plantureux's first cartoon

Jean Plantureux’s (Plantu) first professional published drawing was a peace dove having a question make in its beak. That picture was in the context of Vietnam War and peace talks that were on hold at the time. Jean Plantureux always advocated peace through his cartoons.  Mr. Plantu is a strong advocate of the freedom of speech but he says when my cartoon might led to burning places and danger to many lives then I must think before publishing.

1991 was the peak point of Jean Plantureux’s career when he did which many cartoonists can only dream of.  Mostly editorial cartoons create controversies and fights, but by Jean Plantureux’s cartoon, commenting and advocating peace for Israel and Lebanon, created history.  Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli foreign affairs minister Shimon Peres both signed on cartoon drew by Jean Plantureux. From then peace talks began smoothly.

‘The Political Significance of the Cartoons of Plantu (1972-2000)’ is a French thesis paper written on Jean Plantureux cartoons.  French postal service came up with 3 postal stamps designed by Jean Plantureux. French postal department wanted to raise money for Médecins Sans Frontières, an international humanitarian organization; so they published 3 stamps designed by Jean Plantureux.  It worked well.

Now after achieving so much in cartooning, Jean Plantureux wants to take his art to the every loop and corner of the world.  Jean Plantureux took an initiative to arrange first international conference of news cartoonists to help cartoonists all over the world to work better.

Man can be understood by his beliefs.  Jean Plantureux said in one of his interviews that we cartoonists should show the reader that we respect their beliefs. I think cartoonists should stop thinking they can be anarchists - they should think of themselves as drawing journalists and be aware of their responsibilities.  I admire provocateurs but you've got to be clever and know how far you can go. This is enough to know the greatness of Jean Plantureux.