Joseph Porphyre PINCHON is a French illustrator and painter, mainly known for his drawings of a comic strip entitled "Bécassine", but also illustrations for newspaper and postcards. He used to draw costumes for the Paris' Opera between 1908 and 1914, where he became director of artistic services in 1910. Émile Joseph Porphyre PINCHON was born in Amiens on April 17, 1871. His first name in the civil register is certainly Émile, but he was called Joseph (he signs his letters and his drawings with the initials J.P.); moreover, one of his brothers, a sculptor, is named Émile. After studying in Amiens and then in Paris (where he obtained a bachelor of arts), Joseph entered the Beaux-Arts, where he notably frequented Fernand CORMON and Albert BESNARD. He did his military service from 1892 to 1895 (he was employed, among other things, to decorate barracks), and from 1897, he exhibited his paintings at the Parisian Salons. He will remain active for a long time within the National Society of Fine Arts, of which he will even become the vice-president in 1946. From 1903, he illustrated various newspapers for children (“Saint-Nicolas”, “L’Écolier illustré”, “le Petit Journal illustré de la Jeunesse”…). In 1905, the first issue of the weekly “La Semaine de Suzette” appeared, where J.P. PINCHON created the character of Bécassine. This is the beginning of a long series of around 1,500 pages devoted to this heroine, published in “La Semaine de Suzette”, and mostly published in albums. From 1908 to 1914, Joseph PINCHON was a costume designer at the Paris Opera, where he became the director of artistic services in 1910. Some thirty operas thus benefited from his talent. During the great celebrations of Joan of Arc in Compiègne, in 1909, 1911, 1913, then in 1930 and 1935, Joseph was in charge of the artistic direction of processions and tournaments, designed costumes and banners, illustrated postcards and various documents, and participated sometimes at parades. He spent most of the 1914-1918 war in camouflage service. He was named Knight of the Legion of Honor in 1921 (he was promoted to officer in 1950). On March 9, 1920, he married Suzanne Armande WURTZ, originally from Margny-lès-Compiègne, and promised to her brother Jean, who died in combat in 1916; they will have no children. Joseph PINCHON is a member of a hunting crew; he supported the creation, in 1935, of the hunting museum, in Senlis, to which he donated a few works, in particular a tapestry project (entitled “The Hunt”). In 1929, he had presented another tapestry project (“South America”), adopted by the Manufacture des Gobelins. From 1929 to 1939, he was the artistic director of "Benjamin", a weekly for young people, and provided numerous drawings. He also illustrated “L'Écho de Paris” (from 1920), then, in the 1940s, for “Fanfan la Tulipe”, “Fillette”, “Wrill”, “Cap'taine Sabord”, “Le Petit Canard”, “Lisette”, “France Soir Jeudi”… Talented and prolific illustrator, he produced hundreds of drawings for these newspapers, and created many characters. He also illustrated more than thirty books. Joseph Porphyre PINCHON died in Paris on June 20, 1953, and was buried in Amiens, in the cemetery of Saint-Acheul.