MOEBIUS | Venise Céleste p.76 & COVER ART (Paris Venedig)

Full-page illustration from page 76 of Moebius’ landmark 1984 artbook Venise Céleste (Aedena), a cornerstone of his Aedena period. Executed in the artist’s signature technique: original colour (gouache, watercolor, pastel) on blueline, completed with the original rhodoïd overlay bearing the black contour lines and Moebius’ signature, together forming the final image reproduced in the publication.

Unique mise en couleur for Venise Céleste, p. 76. The acetate overlay shows clear hand-inked characteristics, including subtle line variation and micro-irregularities consistent with manual application. The ink presents a visible colour differential (deep black on the recto, graphite grey on the verso under light), consistent with encre de Chine on acetate. While undocumented as personally executed by the artist, the line quality and signature are fully consistent with Moebius’ working practice of the 1980s.

An exceptional document of Moebius’ creative process, illustrating the transition from colour composition to final published image. The work blends futuristic aesthetics with historical Venetian iconography and represents a rare surviving example of a complete mise en couleur with original ink overlay from the Venise Céleste cycle.

Reproduced as postcard no. 11 (Reportages) in the 14-card Venezia Celeste series, selected from the 175 illustrations included in the book. The central figure echoes key Moebius archetypes (Starwatcher, Arzach), merging Venetian historical costume with a distinctly “starfarer” futuristic design.


Cover reproduction note:
This illustration is also reproduced as the central image on the cover of the first German hardcover edition of Paris–Venedig / Venise Céleste, published by Carlsen Studio in 1993. While the printed cover features a surrounding red background as part of the graphic layout, the central image itself corresponds directly to this original artwork.