Jean de Bosschère
1878 - 1953
Born in Ukkel (BE).
De Bosschère was a writer, graphic artist and a book illustrator. He illustrated works by the likes of Oscar Wilde and Antonin Artaud. From 1905 onwards he also regularly produced engravings for his own books, such as Édifices anciens (1908), Twelve occupations (1916) and Job le pauvre (1923). He also illustrated his novel Dolorine et les ombres himself. He worked in the 'art nouveau' style, also known as 'Jugendstil' or 'modern style'. The latter term is probably the most appropriate, as De Bosschère's style is most similar to the work of Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898). De Bosschère drew lots of waving, ornamental shapes and stylised plants, like Beardsley, and he made clever use of the black-and-white division of the page. The drawings, printed in black ochre in Dolorine et les ombres, testify to De Bosschère's interest in the occult and the obscure.
