Author's illustrations

Lorenzo Mattotti (b. 1954, Brescia) has lived and worked in Paris since 1998. He made his debut in the late 1970s as comics artist, drawing black-and-white strips inspired by the expressionism of José Muñoz and Carlos Sampayo. In 1983, after attending the IUAV University of Venice, he founded the Valvoline group in Bologna with Daniele Brolli, Giorgio Carpinteri, Igort, Marcello Joni and Jerry Kramsky. Their aim was to have comics interact with other forms of art, including music, fashion and advertising and they directed the supplement of Alter Alter magazine.

It was in Alter Alter that Mattotti had published “Il Signor Spartaco“ in 1982. This was his first work in colour and in 1984 came “Fuochi“, (published in English in 1986 by Penguin Books), a work that revolutionised the language of comics and highlighted some of the dominant features of his style: the use of a sensual, evocative and enveloping colour, coupled with powerful expressiveness of line.

He has published numerous books for adults and children, which have been translated into several languages, and he contributes to “The New Yorker“, “Vanity Fair“, “Cosmopolitan“, “Le Monde“, “Nouvel Observateur“, “Das Magazin“, “Süddeutsche Zeitung“, “Corriere della Sera“, “Internazionale“, and “La Repubblica“.