One of the most remarkable pieces of Asterix artwork to appear on the market in recent years will be auctioned in Belgium next month.
On 13 September 2026, Belgian auction house BD Enchères will offer an original Albert Uderzo cover artwork for Astérix chez les Bretons, known in English as Asterix in Britain. The auction will take place at the Palais des Congrès in Liège, with the artwork forming one of the highlights of a sale dedicated to comic art and collectibles.
The work is listed as Lot 545, simply described as an original Asterix cover by Uderzo. It has already attracted considerable attention: with the auction still weeks away, the current online bid stands at €80,000.
A rare piece from the classic Asterix era
Astérix chez les Bretons occupies a special place in the history of the series. Written by René Goscinny and drawn by Albert Uderzo, the adventure first appeared in Pilote magazine in September 1965 before being published as the eighth Asterix album in 1966. It introduced readers to Asterix’s British relatives and remains one of the best-known adventures from the classic Goscinny-Uderzo period.
Original finished artwork by Uderzo is highly sought after, but complete colour cover paintings are particularly rare. This makes the appearance of a work connected with the cover of Astérix chez les Bretons a significant event for collectors.
According to reports surrounding the sale, the gouache was originally given by Uderzo to his publisher, Georges Dargaud, and carries a handwritten dedication. The artwork reportedly remained within Dargaud’s family for decades, passing first to his daughter Corinne and later through her family before eventually reaching its current owner.
The work has been given a pre-sale estimate of €150,000 to €200,000.
A complicated history of Asterix cover art
There is an interesting detail concerning Astérix chez les Bretons and its earliest publication.
The adventure began in Pilote no. 307, dated 9 September 1965. Albert Uderzo also created a gouache-and-pencil illustration for the cover of that issue of Pilote. That artwork was later reproduced as a limited-edition serigraph by Les Éditions Albert René.
This illustrates why the history of original Asterix cover art can sometimes be more complicated than simply saying that every album had one cover drawing. Preliminary artwork, magazine covers and alternative illustrations can all exist alongside the finished artwork associated with an album.
Nevertheless, the Liège auction offers what is being presented as an original Uderzo cover work for one of the most famous albums of the classic series, with an unusually strong connection to the history of its original publisher.
Could it exceed its estimate?
The €150,000–€200,000 estimate is substantial, but the market for important Asterix originals has previously produced spectacular results.
In 2017, the original cover artwork for Le Tour de Gaule d’Astérix sold for €1.449 million, setting a record for an original Asterix artwork. That particular piece had exceptional provenance, having belonged to Pierre Tchernia, the filmmaker and close friend of both Goscinny and Uderzo.
Whether the Astérix chez les Bretons artwork can approach such a figure remains to be seen. The current bid of €80,000 suggests, however, that there is already serious interest in the piece.
Auction and exhibition
The artwork will be offered during BD Enchères’ catalogue auction at the Palais des Congrès de Liège on Sunday, 13 September 2026, with the sale scheduled to begin at 10:30.
Before the auction, the lots will be available for public viewing:
- Friday, 11 September: 12:00–18:00
- Saturday, 12 September: 09:00–17:00
The auction catalogue and online bidding are available through BD Enchères’ 13 September auction page.
For Asterix collectors, this will be an auction worth watching. Important Uderzo originals do not appear on the market very often, and a finished colour cover work connected with one of the classic Goscinny-Uderzo albums is rarer still. With the bidding already underway, the final result on 13 September could provide another fascinating chapter in the collecting history of the world’s most famous Gaul.
One of the most remarkable pieces of Asterix artwork to appear on the market in recent years will be auctioned in Belgium next month.
On 13 September 2026, Belgian auction house BD Enchères will offer an original Albert Uderzo cover artwork for Astérix chez les Bretons, known in English as Asterix in Britain. The auction will take place at the Palais des Congrès in Liège, with the artwork forming one of the highlights of a sale dedicated to comic art and collectibles.
The work is listed as Lot 545, simply described as an original Asterix cover by Uderzo. It has already attracted considerable attention: with the auction still weeks away, the current online bid stands at €80,000.
A rare piece from the classic Asterix era
Astérix chez les Bretons occupies a special place in the history of the series. Written by René Goscinny and drawn by Albert Uderzo, the adventure first appeared in Pilote magazine in September 1965 before being published as the eighth Asterix album in 1966. It introduced readers to Asterix’s British relatives and remains one of the best-known adventures from the classic Goscinny-Uderzo period.
Original finished artwork by Uderzo is highly sought after, but complete colour cover paintings are particularly rare. This makes the appearance of a work connected with the cover of Astérix chez les Bretons a significant event for collectors.
According to reports surrounding the sale, the gouache was originally given by Uderzo to his publisher, Georges Dargaud, and carries a handwritten dedication. The artwork reportedly remained within Dargaud’s family for decades, passing first to his daughter Corinne and later through her family before eventually reaching its current owner.
The work has been given a pre-sale estimate of €150,000 to €200,000.
A complicated history of Asterix cover art
There is an interesting detail concerning Astérix chez les Bretons and its earliest publication.
The adventure began in Pilote no. 307, dated 9 September 1965. Albert Uderzo also created a gouache-and-pencil illustration for the cover of that issue of Pilote. That artwork was later reproduced as a limited-edition serigraph by Les Éditions Albert René.
This illustrates why the history of original Asterix cover art can sometimes be more complicated than simply saying that every album had one cover drawing. Preliminary artwork, magazine covers and alternative illustrations can all exist alongside the finished artwork associated with an album.
Nevertheless, the Liège auction offers what is being presented as an original Uderzo cover work for one of the most famous albums of the classic series, with an unusually strong connection to the history of its original publisher.
Could it exceed its estimate?
The €150,000–€200,000 estimate is substantial, but the market for important Asterix originals has previously produced spectacular results.
In 2017, the original cover artwork for Le Tour de Gaule d’Astérix sold for €1.449 million, setting a record for an original Asterix artwork. That particular piece had exceptional provenance, having belonged to Pierre Tchernia, the filmmaker and close friend of both Goscinny and Uderzo.
Whether the Astérix chez les Bretons artwork can approach such a figure remains to be seen. The current bid of €80,000 suggests, however, that there is already serious interest in the piece.
Auction and exhibition
The artwork will be offered during BD Enchères’ catalogue auction at the Palais des Congrès de Liège on Sunday, 13 September 2026, with the sale scheduled to begin at 10:30.
Before the auction, the lots will be available for public viewing:
- Friday, 11 September: 12:00–18:00
- Saturday, 12 September: 09:00–17:00
The auction catalogue and online bidding are available through BD Enchères’ 13 September auction page.
For Asterix collectors, this will be an auction worth watching. Important Uderzo originals do not appear on the market very often, and a finished colour cover work connected with one of the classic Goscinny-Uderzo albums is rarer still. With the bidding already underway, the final result on 13 September could provide another fascinating chapter in the collecting history of the world’s most famous Gaul.