tarzan! or rousseau and the wazirimusée du quai branly, parisjune 16 to september 27, 2009

original print by burne hogarth © private collection tarzan TM and edgar rice burroughs TM owned by edgar rice burroughs, inc. and used by permission

the story of tarzan was born in 1912 from the fertile imagination of american, edgar rice burroughs. since then, the myth of the ape-man has been constantly referenced and exploited. divided into sections which include: tarzan and his author, the birth of a hero, tarzan’s africa, tarzan, the saviour of the jungle, the route of this exhibition recalls burrough’s references (kipling, rider haggard, robida) and the rapid changes and ups-and-downs tarzan has undergone. films, books, posters, costumes, toys, dolls and comic books showcase the art, culture and image of the hero’s world, retrace the evolution of myths and the collective fantasy of tarzan.

'tarzan! or rousseau and the waziri' at musée du quai branly, parisoriginal prints by burne hogarth © private collection tarzan TM and edgar rice burroughs TM owned by edgar rice burroughs, inc. and used by permission

'tarzan! or rousseau and the waziri' at musée du quai branly, paristarzan print by joe kubert © private collection tarzan TM and edgar rice burroughs TM owned by edgar rice burroughs, inc. and used by permission

'tarzan! or rousseau and the waziri' at musée du quai branly, parisstuffed leopard musée de la chasse et de la nature, paris former collection of the prince d’arenberg © DR

'tarzan! or rousseau and the waziri' at musée du quai branly, parisstatue of a man, cameroun tapa cloth, wood, horsehair, strips of raffia © musée du quai branly. photo thierry ollivier, michel urtado

'tarzan! or rousseau and the waziri' at musée du quai branly, parisleft: print by haeckel taken from tarzan und die herrenrasse, norbert bernahrdt © haeckel tarzan TM and edgar rice burroughs TM owned by edgar rice burroughs, inc. and used by permission right: mand decended from ape, by pilotel, 1870 museum of art and history, saint-denis photo © irène andreani

'tarzan! or rousseau and the waziri' at musée du quai branly, parisphotograph by frank merill, still from the film tarzan, the tiger ©1929 universal pictures tarzan TM and edgar rice burroughs TM owned by edgar rice burroughs, inc. and used by permission

'tarzan! or rousseau and the waziri' at musée du quai branly, parisoriginal book cover of ‘tarzan of the apes’, 1912 tarzan TM and edgar rice burroughs TM owned by edgar rice burroughs, inc. and used by permission