Call of a Trumpet

“Appearances can be deceiving…”

The picturesque true story of a fake Egyptian trumpet.

Returning from Egypt, the Emperor brings back to Paris a thousand treasures. Edgar Plantin, curator at the National Museum, is concerned: His Majesty demands an exhibition within two days. He must sort quickly, relying only on appearances. Exhausted, at the very last object he identifies… a trumpet.

When the Emperor visits, he suddenly stops in front of the instrument: he wants to hear it. Panic on board! A throne, a stage, and decorations are improvised, artists are summoned. But just as the musician is about to play, Edgar realizes his mistake: this trumpet is not a trumpet at all. What kind of bewitching spectacle will result from all this?

Based on a real anecdote from the history of art (the foot of an Egyptian censer mistaken for a trumpet, exhibited as such at the Louvre, which later served as the model for Adolphe Sax to create the famous trumpets for Verdi’s opera Aida), Gilles Baum and Clémence Pollet spin a colorful tale. Rich with references to a flamboyant 19th century, it invites reflection on truth and power. At the end, a double-page spread with historical facts (with photographs) recounts the historical misunderstanding.

AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR

Gilles Baum (lives in Kingersheim, France) became a primary school teacher after studying mathematics. He discovered children’s literature through a school project around an album by Thierry Dedieu. Dedieu later became a companion in his career, and Baum’s texts reveal a strong sense of situation, narrative rhythm, and sensitivity in his approach to characters. Together, they created Le Secret du clan (The secret clan), published by HongFei in 2020.

Clémence Pollet (lives in Amiens, France), illustrator since 2009, graduated from the École Estienne (Paris) and HEAR (Strasbourg). Published by HongFei since 2012, she is a key figure in their catalogue, having illustrated La Ballade de Mulan (The ballad of Mulan), 2015, La Traversée (Crossing the river), 2017, Animal Totem (Spirit animal), 2018 and the two board books Petits Mondes (Little worlds),2023 and Petites merveilles (Little wonders), 2024. Her work is characterized by elegance and strength of line, enriched by varied techniques.

Keywords: Egypt, history, museum, music, science, trumpet, truth

Publication: November 7, 2025