Luz's New Graphic Novel Tells History Through a Painting's Eyes
French cartoonist Luz, survivor of the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attack, has released a new graphic novel titled "Due ragazze nude" (Two Naked Girls), published in Italy by Coconino Press. The book centers on a 1919 painting by German artist Otto Müller, which becomes a silent witness to 20th-century German history, from the Weimar Republic to Nazi persecution of "degenerate art." Luz uses the static perspective of the artwork to observe events passively, a narrative device he calls "unique." The novel won the Fauve d'Or at the Angoulême Festival in 2025. Luz previously authored "Catarsi" and "Indélébiles" (Prix France Info). The drawing style references European painting traditions, blending historical diary with artist's sketchbook. The work reflects on art's tensions with ideology and censorship.
Key facts
- Luz survived the January 7, 2015 Charlie Hebdo attack by arriving late to the editorial meeting.
- His new graphic novel 'Due ragazze nude' is published by Coconino Press in Italy.
- The protagonist is Otto Müller's 1919 painting 'Two Naked Girls'.
- The painting travels through Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany, witnessing 'degenerate art' burnings.
- The narrative adopts the painting's immobile perspective as a silent observer.
- The book won the Fauve d'Or at the Angoulême Festival in 2025.
- Luz's previous works include 'Catarsi' and 'Indélébiles' (Prix France Info).
- The drawing style engages with European painting tradition, including Müller's own work.
Entities
Artists
- Luz
- Otto Müller
- Charb
- Wolinski
- Tignous
- Maschka
Institutions
- Charlie Hebdo
- Coconino Press
- Festival de Angoulême
- Artribune
Locations
- France
- Germany
- Berlin
- Italy