Jean-Marc Rochette (born April 23, 1956) is a French painter, illustrator and comics creator. He is best known and recognized for the comic book series Edmond le Cochon and Le Transperceneige, as well as for his illustrations of the literary classic Candide ou l'optimisme by Voltaire, and Homer's Odyssey.

Biography

Jean-Marc Rochette became known as a comic creator and illustrator with Edmond le Cochon, with Martin Veyron, and Le Transperceneige, initially with Jacques Lob and later with Benjamin Legrand. ^[1] Le Transperceneige received the Angoulême Religious Award in 1985, which was the award's first year. Other comic stories include Claudius Vigne, Napoléon et Bonaparte (Angoulême Humour Award in 2001), Nemo le capitaine vengeur with Jean-Pierre Hugot, L'or et l'esprit with Benjamin Legrand, Cour Royale with Martin Veyron (Nomination for the Angoulême Audience Award in 2006), and the trilogy Louis et Dico: Panique à Londres/Scandale à New York/Triomphe à Hollywood with René Pétillon.^[2]

Besides creating and illustrating comic stories, he also illustrated several children's books and well-known fairy tales, for example Coyote mauve, which was also translated in English (Purple Coyote), Pinocchio, Le petit poucet (the French version of Tom Thumb) and Le chat botté (Puss 'n' Boots). He gained further reputation for his watercolor illustrations of the literature classics Candide by Voltaire and Homer's Odyssey. ^[3] As a painter, his works include watercolor as well as oil paintings, and figurative as well as abstract interpretations of themes. ^[4]

Awards

1985: Religious Award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival, for Le Transperceneige, avec Jacques Lob
2001: Humour Award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival, for Napoléon et Bonaparte
2006: nomination for the Audience Award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival, for Cour Royale, avec Martin Veyron

Bibliography

Comics Books and Series

Edmond le cochon (1980 - 1993 with Martin Veyron)
- No. 1: Edmond le cochon, Editions du Fromage 1980, ISBN 9782902503391
- No. 2: Edmond le cochon va en afrique (1981), Albin Michel - l'Echo des Savanes 1983, ISBN 9782226014757
- No. 3: Le continent mystérieux (1983), Albin Michel 1996, ISBN 9782226087577
- No. 4: Le mystère continental, Albin Michel 1993, ISBN 9782226061898
Les dépoteurs de chrysanthèmes (drawing and story), Futuropolis 1980, ISBN 978-2737654060
Le transperceneige(1984 - 2000)
- No. 1: L'Échappe (drawing) with Jacques Lob (story), Casterman 1984, ISBN 9782203334182
- No. 2: L'Arpenteur (drawing) with Benjamin Legrand (story), Casterman 1999, ISBN 9782203334793
- No. 3: La Traversée (drawing) with Benjamin Legrand (story), Casterman 2000, ISBN 978-2203334892
A tes souhaits (drawing) with T. Topin (story), Futuropolis 1985, ISBN 2737654548
Claudius Vigne touche le fond (drawing and story), Casterman 1985, ISBN 978-2203335233
Requiem blanc (drawing) with Benjamin Legrand (story), Casterman 1987, ISBN 2203334363, ISBN 9782203334366
Nemo, le capitaine vengeur (drawing) with Jean-Pierre Hugot (storyboard), featuring Jules Verne's fictional character Captain Nemo, Bayard 1988, ISBN 978-2700940534
L'Or & l'esprit 1, Le Tribut (drawing) with Benjamin Legrand (story), Casterman 1995, ISBN 978-2203388888
Napoléon et Bonaparte (story and drawing), Casterman 2000, ISBN 978-2203388888
Louis et Dico - à la conquete du monde (2003 - 2006 with René Pétillon)
- Panique à Londres (drawing), Albin Michel 2003, ISBN 9782226138231
- Scandale à New York' (drawing), Albin Michel 2004, ISBN 978-2226152503
- Triomphe à Hollywood (drawing), Albin Michel 2006, ISBN 978-2226175502
Cour royale (drawing) with Martin Veyron (story), Albin Michel 2005, ISBN 978-2226166692
TooLoose, with Martin Veyron, Blutch, Baru, Jean-Bernard Pouy, Casterman 2007, ISBN 978-2-203-00460-3

Illustrations

Children's Books

Coyote mauve with Jean-Luc Cornette, L'école des loisirs 1997, ISBN 9782211044684
- in English: Purple Coyote, Random House Children's Books 1999, ISBN 9780385326643
Pizza quatre saisons with Jean-Luc Cornette, L'école des Loisirs 1997, ISBN 9782211043267
C'est difficile à dire with Jean-Luc Cornette, Seuil 1998, ISBN 2020348810
Le joli petit cafard with Jean-Luc Cornette, Le Seuil 1998, ISBN 9782020323482
Pinocchio, French translation of the Italian novel for children by Carlo Collodi, Casterman 2000, ISBN 9782203142824
Le petit poucet by Charles Perrault, French fairy tale paralleling the story of Tom Thumb, Casterman 2001, ISBN 9782203142954
- in Spanish: Pulgarcito, Blume 2005, ISBN 978-8498010350
Le chat botté (Puss 'n' Boots), French version of the European fairy tale by Charles Perrault, Casterman 2002, ISBN 9782203565142
- in Spanish: El gato con botas, Blume 2005, ISBN 978-8498010312
La fille du pirate with Béatrice Bottet, Bayard Jeunesse 2004, ISBN 978-2747013208

Literature Classics

Candide ou l'optimisme by French writer and philosopher Voltaire, Albin Michel 2002, ISBN 9782226129352
L'Odyssée (Odyssey), French translation by Mario Meunier of the Greek epic poem attributed to Homer, Albin Michel 2006, ISBN 9782226152107

Notes and References

Notes

^ See for example biographic information from editor Casterman, Mome.net or Lambiek.net in section 'further references'. Mome Vol. 8 (Summer 2007) by Gary Groth, Eric Reynolds (eds), Fantagraphics Books June 2007, p.28: European Cartoonists 'qui est qui': "Jean-Marc Rochette. French cartoonist, broke into comics in 1976, best known for drawing the epic graphic novel Le Transperceneige after the original artist Alexis died. Also created Edmond le Cochon. Most recent work is the U.S./U.K.-based trilogy Triomphe à Hollywood/Scandale à New York/Panique à Londres, co-created with writer Pétillon. (never published in English)". The latter information is only correct for comic stories, as Rochette's children's book illustration Coyote Mauve was translated in Englisch (Purple Coyote) in 1999, see bibliography. The authors mention Lambiek.net as their primary source. Lambiek.net Comiclopedia considers only Rochette's comics works.
^ See Jean-Marc Rochette's comics bibliography on Bedetheque (fr) and Wikipedia information about the Angoulême International Comics Festival Awards
^ French literary critic Martine Laval for Télérama.fr on Rochette's illustration of the French edition of Homer's Odyssey, pointing to the influence of chinese artists on Rochette: "Son odyssée à lui a été de peindre des paysages, des visages, presque sous hypnose, dans un seul souffle, d'un seul geste, un peu comme les artistes chinois qu'il vénère." Martine Laval in Telerama 2967 (November 25, 2006), Telerama.fr
^ Recent paintings by Jean-Marc Rochette

Further References

Biographical information from editor Casterman (fr)
Biographical information from Momes.net (fr)
Biographical information on Lambiek.net (en, fr)

External links

Jean-Marc Rochette comics bibliography on Bedetheque (fr)
Original sketches by Jean-Marc Rochette for Transperceneige, presented by editor Casterman
Recent paintings by Jean-Marc Rochette

[1] See for example biographic information from editor Casterman, Mome.net or Lambiek.net in section 'further references'. Mome Vol. 8 (Summer 2007) by Gary Groth, Eric Reynolds (eds), Fantagraphics Books June 2007, p.28: European Cartoonists 'qui est qui': "Jean-Marc Rochette. French cartoonist, broke into comics in 1976, best known for drawing the epic graphic novel Le Transperceneige after the original artist Alexis died. Also created Edmond le Cochon. Most recent work is the U.S./U.K.-based trilogy Triomphe à Hollywood/Scandale à New York/Panique à Londres, co-created with writer Pétillon. (never published in English)". The latter information is only correct for comic stories, as Rochette's children's book illustration Coyote Mauve was translated in Englisch (Purple Coyote) in 1999, see bibliography. The authors mention Lambiek.net as their primary source. Lambiek.net Comiclopedia considers only Rochette's comics works.

[2] See Jean-Marc Rochette's comics bibliography on Bedetheque (fr) and Wikipedia information about the Angoulême International Comics Festival Awards

[3] French literary critic Martine Laval for Télérama.fr on Rochette's illustration of the French edition of Homer's Odyssey, pointing to the influence of chinese artists on Rochette: "Son odyssée à lui a été de peindre des paysages, des visages, presque sous hypnose, dans un seul souffle, d'un seul geste, un peu comme les artistes chinois qu'il vénère." Martine Laval in Telerama 2967 (November 25, 2006), Telerama.fr

[4] Recent paintings by Jean-Marc Rochette

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