Bilal - Lot 143

Bilal ENKI BILAL Original illustration published in the portfolio Aux dieux odieux published by J'ai Lu in 1976. Signed. India ink and gouache on mounted paper 20.4 × 27.5 cm (8.03 × 10.83 in.) This is an early drawing by Bilal, whose classical style brings him close to, but not plagiarizing, a certain Moebius. With Christin on the script, he had just published La Croisière des oubliés in Pilote in 1975, which established him as one of the best science-fiction artists of his time. In this single drawing, Bilal was already displaying his mastery in the conception of gloomy, disquieting SF universes. This work was conceived for the J'ai Lu publishing house run by Gérard Klein, the man who introduced Robert A. Heinlein, Frank Herbert, Philip K. Dick and so many others to France. A piece of history as well as a beautiful illustration.