ROCHETTE

JEAN-MARC ROCHETTE LA DERNIÈRE REINE, Casterman 2022 Original cover produced for the deluxe edition. Signed. India ink on paper 29.5 × 41.8 cm (11.61 × 16.46 in.) For the cover of the deluxe edition of La Dernière Reine, Rochette created this large-format black-and-white bear portrait. Hair, fur, mouth, eyes: he took pains to render the plantigrade's head in the finest detail, with a constant concern to avoid any anthropomorphic temptations. The meticulous brushwork is reminiscent of engraving. The bear's gaze is neutral, mysterious, almost eerie. It says nothing other than what it is, an animal which, although sharing certain instincts with man, is totally foreign to us. Impossible to decipher, it may well move on or decide that you're fit to eat! J.-M.R.