Siné

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Maurice Sinet, known as Siné (born December 31, 1928 in Paris) is a French cartoonist.

As a young man he studied drawing and graphic arts, earning his life as a cabaret singer.

After his military service he starts publishing his drawings and also works as a photo-retoucher for porn magazines.. His first published drawing appeared in France-Dimanche in 1952. Siné received the Grand Prix de l'Humour Noir in 1955 for his collection Complainte sans Paroles.

His series of drawings on cats was his breakthrough. He then started working for L'Express as a political cartoonist.

Siné's anti-colonialism caused controversy during the Algerian war. He was sued a number of times, being defended by Jacques Vergès, then a lawyer for the Algerian Liberation Front.

In 1962 Siné left L'Express and launched his own publication, Siné Massacre, noted for its anti-colonialism, anti-capitalism, anti-clericalism and anarchism. On reviewing the book Private Eye described Siné's cartoons as "grotesque" (9 December 1966), criticising publisher Penguin Books, who subsequently removed all unsold stock and listed the title 'out of print'.

In May 1968, together with Jean-Jacques Pauvert, he launched L'Enragé.

Siné is a great lover of jazz, and has illustrated several books on jazz as well as record covers.

He's a dignitary of the French Collège de 'Pataphysique.

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