Phil de Rodrigue sets the capital alight with his drawings of Parisiennes and illustrations of social events. To have a work by this unique and charming man is to gain entry to a closed club. A look back at an atypical career.
And the magic happened! For his exhibition “Les Parisiennes”, Victor Philip, aka “Phil de Rodrigue”, gathered a few friends, admirers and curious onlookers at the restaurant “La Petite Place” in the Marais at the end of January. But it is rather a large place that his models and fans have in their hearts for the man who listens to them and sublimates their image.
With his beautiful pencil strokes, Phil de Rodrigue creates a graphic universe for each woman he meets, highlighting her personality.
That evening, the spotlight was on Nadia Gaieva, who is known for her elegance, but above all for the cause she defends as a lawyer: peace between Russia and Ukraine. A very topical subject!
What is a Parisienne? Phil de Rodrigue answers this question without hesitation: “Above all, it’s a state of mind, even if the Parisienne is not of French origin. She is intelligent, chic, seductive. She has a strong personality, she is free, even rebellious.”
Phil de Rodrigue draws inspiration from her contemporaries, most of whom are unknown. But there are also a few celebrities who are actresses, writers, designers, businesswomen, prima ballerinas, etc. In total, around a hundred people have benefited from the nuances of the artist’s palette: Cyrielle Clair, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Amandine Cornette de Saint-Cyr, Sylvana Lorenz, Vanessa Feuillatte, Anne Eyer, but also a few men including Jean Todt, Douglas Kennedy, David Rockefeller and his wife Susan …
“It’s often a case of love at first sight! I don’t make portraits, I tell a story. This requires a dialogue in which the model tells me about herself and her passions. From there, I construct an imaginary environment into which I pour all my skill, my sensitivity, even my soul.”
Comic strips and science fiction
But how did Victor Philip become an illustrator of Parisiennes in the tradition of illustrious predecessors such as Kiraz, Sempé and René Gruau?
“From the age of five, I was drawing. I loved to draw soldiers attacking castles! I think I already had a sense of perspective at the time,” says the amused forty-something, born in Bordeaux to a military father and a florist mother. The youngest of the family – with a brother in the military and a sister who is a literature teacher – Victor was inspired by both military exploits and the beautiful texts of French literature. He grew up in a traditional, Catholic environment and appreciated its values, which guided him throughout his sometimes perilous adventures.
The young man studied applied arts and computer science at the University of Montesquieu Bordeaux IV, then did his military service in the Air Force in Cazaux.
He started a professional activity with an architect for whom he made models presenting his future projects.
In 2012, he joined Ubisoft, the French family business that has become one of the world leaders in video games. Victor Philip excelled there and now acts as Artistic Advisor to the General Management. “The creation of a new video game requires significant investment. It is therefore necessary to take a critical look at each project within a multidisciplinary team beforehand,” he explains, discreet about this aspect of his professional life.
Immersed in the world of comics and science fiction, Phil de Rodrigue finds his style and refines it over the years. He has his favorite authors among the stars. He cites Edgar Pierre Jacobs (Blake and Mortimer), Alex Raymond (Flash Gordon), Hergé (The Adventures of Tintin), Burne Hogarth (Tarzan), and Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball).
He got caught up in the game and created his own comic strip, “The Adventures of Gontran and Roland Dandar”, which tells the story of two brothers who are both magicians and knights of fortune who come to the aid of people in danger. “Three albums are waiting for a publisher,” the author whispers to us.
His characters seem to come straight out of a comic strip, like Jean Todt, the former director of the Ferrari Formula 1 team. With his rocket stamped FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile), the former French rally co-driver thinks he will be at his appointments more quickly. A tight schedule and punctuality are his obsessions.
Jean Todt , 79, always has his foot on the gas. He is currently the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety and travels to 40 countries a year. He has had almost everything. Honors, love, beautiful toys… How can anyone still surprise him? “One day, his secretary called me because she wanted to give him a drawing for his birthday,” says Phil de Rodrigue. “Since then, I’ve learned that the comic strip is on the wall of his office…”
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Featured Photo: “I don’t do portraits, but I tell a story”, Phil de Rodrigue with lawyer Nadia Gaieva who is fighting for peace between Russia and Ukraine. ©Corine Moriou
