SwissArtGallery · Documented identity
Born and died in Paris, Roland Topor (1938–1997) was a French artist and writer whose career spanned drawing, publishing, literature, film and television. From 1955, he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. His first publication was the cover of the journal Bizarre, made in 1958; his first exhibition was organised by the Maison des Beaux-Arts in 1960. From 1961, he contributed to the journal Hara-Kiri.
In 1962, he founded the Panique movement with Fernando Arrabal and Alejandro Jodorowsky. His novel Le Locataire chimérique was published in 1964 and was adapted for the cinema by Roman Polanski under the title Le Locataire.
His work also extended to animated film: he collaborated with René Laloux on several films, including the feature-length La Planète sauvage. In 1976, for Federico Fellini’s Casanova, he drew the images projected in the “magic lantern” sequence. For television, from 1983 he worked on the children’s series Téléchat, directed by Henri Xhonneux. With Jean-Michel Ribes, he wrote, among other works, the programmes Merci Bernard (1982–1984) and Palace (1988), as well as the play Batailles (1983).
In 1988, the Galerie HumuS, established in Lausanne, was under Topor’s patronage. In 1992, he founded the association RomaliaisonParis with Giacomo Carioti and Jean-Louis Colas, and became its first president; in 1996, he created its symbol, Pinocchio qui se fait Marameo. An untitled work dated 1973 is documented as pen and ink on paper, signed and dated, measuring 300 × 215 mm.
This profile brings together identity references for Roland Topor and paintings, drawings and works on paper documented in auction catalogues.
23 references are documented at Germann, Dobiaschofsky, Piguet. Each record links to its source; the amounts are not a general valuation of the artist’s work.
Indian ink pen on paper
Ohne Titel, 1973
Tuschfeder auf Papier.
Catalogue period : 2026-06-23
Published result : 900 CHF
Hammer price, excluding fees
Estimate : CHF 1000–1500
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Charcoal
Homme de profil
fusain
Catalogue period : 2021-05-26 — 2021-06-09
Published result : 600 CHF
Fees not specified in the available data
Estimate : CHF 800–1200
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Watercolour and Indian ink
"Vierge".
Aquarell und Tusche
Catalogue period : 2018-05-03
Published result : 800 CHF
Fees not specified in the available data
Estimate : CHF 400
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Aquarellierte Tuschfeder-Zeichnung.
Ohne Titel, 1985
Aquarellierte Tuschfeder-Zeichnung.
Date to be documented
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
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Ink on paper
Sans titre, 1992
Tusche auf Papier.
Date to be documented
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
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Mixed media on paper
"Z"
Mischtechnik auf Papier.
Date to be documented
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
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Mixed media on paper
"U"
Mischtechnik auf Papier.
Date to be documented
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
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Gouache and watercolour on paper
Road to Nirvana, 1992
Gouache und Aquarell auf Papier.
Date to be documented
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
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Mixed media on paper
"O"
Mischtechnik auf Papier.
Date to be documented
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
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Mixed media on paper
"W"
Mischtechnik auf Papier.
Date to be documented
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
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Mixed media on paper
Ohne Titel - Dracula aus "Collection Chaussures", 1993
Mischtechnik auf Papier.
Date to be documented
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
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Pen-and-ink drawing.
L'école de Paris, 1990
Tuschfeder-Zeichnung.
Date to be documented
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
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Mixed media on paper
Sans titre
Mischtechnik auf Papier.
Date to be documented
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
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Tuschfeder, Öl und Aquarell auf Papier.
Date to be documented
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
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Gouache und Tusche auf Papier.
Date to be documented
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
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Pen-and-ink drawing.
Visages
Tuschfeder-Zeichnung.
Date to be documented
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
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Mixed media on paper
"Y"
Mischtechnik auf Papier.
Date to be documented
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
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Pen-and-ink drawing.
Hara Kiri
Tuschfeder-Zeichnung.
Date to be documented
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
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Mixed media on paper
"E"
Mischtechnik auf Papier.
Date to be documented
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
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Mixed media on paper
"S"
Mischtechnik auf Papier.
Date to be documented
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
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Mixed media on paper
"K"
Mischtechnik auf Papier.
Date to be documented
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
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crayons de couleur, signée, c
Catalogue period : 2014-10-08
Published result : 1800 CHF
Fees not specified in the available data
Estimate : CHF 600–800
View the lot at the auction house ↗Tusche laviert und Aquarell
Date to be documented
Published result : 600 CHF
Fees not specified in the available data
Estimate : CHF 900
View the lot at the auction house ↗SwissArtGallery documentary note based on the cited sources. Titles, media and qualifications are provided in the profile language; the original catalogue wording remains available in each record.
Documentation updated : 2026-10-19
