JvH, Vive la méditerranée! (1000 pcs)

Picture a Mediterranean seaside town clinging to the rocks, where everyone seems to have shown up at once. A whitewashed chapel with a blue clock face, flanked by arches and palm trees, draws a packed crowd climbing its steps, while terraced stone staircases lined with balustrades overflow with holidaymakers: some are sunbathing, others strumming a guitar or chatting in colorful little clusters. On an ivy-covered round watchtower, a daredevil is about to leap from a makeshift plank fixed to the top, while a stairway leads down to a wooden pier where a small sailboat is moored. Below, a sandy beach welcomes swimmers, a turtle and sunbathers, among flowering rocks and green-shuttered facades buried under purple bougainvillea. Every corner of this Mediterranean scene hides a gag or a character caught in some mischief, the trademark of Jan van Haasteren's high-energy style.

This 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle belongs to the famous JvH comic puzzle series, published since the 1980s and instantly recognizable for its oversized crowds and visual winks. This edition marks a special moment: the "JAN 90" badge printed on the box celebrates the illustrator's 90th birthday, born on February 24, 1936. The box also includes a poster of the full scene, handy for staying oriented while assembling, and this same scene is also offered in a 2000-piece version for fans of a bigger challenge.

The scene is signed by Jan van Haasteren, a Dutch cartoonist whose crowded, humor-packed style has made him a benchmark of comic jigsaw puzzles since his collaboration with the publisher began in the 1980s, a partnership that became a lifetime contract in 2003. This puzzle is published by Jumbo.