This story of Andersen is very well known to many. That’s why I wanted to approach illustrating it from a perspective, that might seem unusual at first, but if we read deeper into the story and look between the lines, it’s not at all. In this series of 5-piece illustrations, I wanted to depict the emperor’s manic dependence and desire to possess with a limited black-and-white colour palette. I envisioned the emperor as an older character, as he was already on his deathbed at the end of the story. Given his age, this kind of mania is not so unthinkable. Reading the story, we soon realise that he cares a lot about what the outside world sees and thinks of him and his empire. He does anything that can help him look even stronger so he can be the best in another thing in his ever growing repertoire. The Nightingale was also a victim of this. As the tale progresses, we can get more and more familiarised with the depths of his desire for possession, how much he depends on material things and how much the empire depends on his bird. I captured and unfolded this power dynamic between the bird and the emperor.

Digital illustration, size B5