#louis le breton

Illustrations of demons from Dictionnaire Infernal, 1863 edition, by Jacques Collin de Plancy, illustrated by Louis le Breton

KANEKO’S CRIB NOTES LIV: DAVID’S HALLOWEEN GHOUL-A-GANZA + CASTLEVANIA…!?!

Thanks to matteste for this one! Originally spotted on the cover of the Swedish book Sällsamheter i Bohuslän och Dalsland, we were able to trace this death image’s presence to none other than the Dictionnaire Infernal (though not its actual origins; we’ll get into that). Featured in the dictionary’s entry for the “dance of death” (danse des morts), this skeletal musician looks as if it is delighting in fiddling away some macabre tune. Kaneko’s David adapts exactly the posture of raised left leg, the placement of the violin on the left shoulder, and especially the feathered beret.

A perplexing issue is the exact provenance of the Dictionnaire’s "David.” Louis Le Breton is famously credited for the book’s demon illustrations, but the skeleton violinist is unattributed; moreover, it just doesn’t look like it is in Le Breton’s style. No other artist is officially credited in the Dictionnaire, but a couple of the other illustrations in the “dance of death” entry are signed by that of Jean-Baptiste Victor Loutrel and E. Kretzschmar; we can find no confirmation that the work is theirs. It would also be tempting to credit Hans Holbein the Younger and his own Dance of Death woodcut series, but the illustration isn’t present there, either. Even more puzzling is the colorized version as seen on the Swedish book, as its crimson hue is an uncanny match for Kaneko’s Fiend–so where exactly did he see this? Certainly not on this book’s cover, unless he’s been a secret Suecophile all along! Unfortunately, all of these questions must remain unanswered for the time being.

While obviously meant to evoke the Danse Macabre of his Dictionnaire heritage, the appellation “David” is another matter altogether. Luckily avoiding confusion with the later Macabre, David’s likely namesake is instead one of the creations of the legendary Antonio Stradivari: the violinDavidoff Stradivarius, as evidenced by the weapon left behind following his defeat in the original SMT (’Stradivari”). Otherwise, looking for any connection between the name David and the genuine Danse Macabre tradition turned out to be a fool’s errand.

Lastly, since October is the month when we reflect on the dead, it’s the perfect time to include some Castlevania! Morbid, but you know it’s true. Anyway, while browsing the Dictionnaire Infernal we happened upon its entry for Amalaric, the Visigoth king, and found the general silhouette of his sniper assassin to be curiously familiar in both pose and the degree of the bow’s tilt to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night’sSniper of Goth(orAmalaric Sniper). While its angelic embellishments define the sprite, we figure this illustration has to be the inspiration for it as it’s such a bizarrely specific enemy otherwise!

Halloween ‘14: (1) Betelgeuse(2)Baphomet

Halloween ‘15: (1) Season of the Crib, (2) Arachne

Halloween ‘16: (1) Spoo*y Skeletons

KANEKO’S CRIB NOTES XL: GOETIA GRAB BAG 2

Nearly two years and thirty cribs later, and KCN is coming at you again with another cadre of demons from the ever-fertile Lesser Key of Solomon, as interpreted by our pal Louis Breton, and then again by series artist and blog namesake Kazuma Kaneko (also our pal). And while our first set was chosen to highlight some of the more borderline cases out there, here we’ll be taking a look at a few of the less embellished designs in the roster… and Purson.

1. OROBAS: Orobas is one of the closer calls here, and perhaps Kaneko simply thought it unnecessary to alter the functional simplicity of Breton’s original. He’s certainly more ecstatic in the latter portrayal, but otherwise we’re not looking at much divergence that couldn’t be chalked up to personal style: the guy is just sort of a horse-person, arms spread-eagle, and it works. 
2. BARBATOS: Kaneko takes a few more liberties with Barbatos, but in service of accomplishing a more “demonic” look, replete with signifiers such as bat-like wings, curled horns, and a pointed devil’s tail. These have the effect of making the duke look a bit less like a gentleman beleaguered by a ghostly brass section, all while retaining his dapper style. 
3. GEMORI: Gemori is likewise a near match, though she may not look it at first glance. Kaneko deviates little from Breton in terms of the meat and bones of the design, adjusting details of the dress (and perhaps the breed of camel employed) while maintaining distinctive cues such as the horns popping out from a headdress with trailing veil. 
4. PURSON: Pruflas/Purson is perhaps not the most exciting fare the Goetia has to offer, but Kaneko’s additions of a garish palette and luxurious mane were apparently not the trappings of a compendium regular. A grasped serpent and bizarre helmet likewise enter the fray, but otherwise Breton’s template is left essentially untouched. 

Additional Breton Cribbin’:Melchom,Ukobach,Stolas,Belphegor/Beelzebub,Adramelech

KANEKO’S CRIB NOTES XXXIV: ADRAMELECH

We at Kaneko’s Crib Notes are positively giddy that we are able to bring you a Crib so fresh, its game of origin isn’t out of the oven quite yet. Shin Megami Tensei IV: Final’s version of Adramelechis a thing of beauty. Kaneko looked no further than to…oh, right, this one isn’t by Kaneko, but by current Maniacs Team artist Masayuki Doi. But any confusion is complimentary, as we believe Adramelech to be one of Doi’s finest demons so far, and every bit in the style of the Kaneko compendium.

As we were saying, Doi looked no further than to the Dictionnaire Infernal, the eternal occult wellspring, for inspiration. Louis Le Breton’s print of the demon anthropomorphizes features of mule and peacock in depicting a fallen angel with the relatively posh position of tailor of Hell. (Is he responsible for Lucifer’s wardrobe malfunction in SMTIV?) Like many of Kaneko’s designs before him, Doi took a conservative approach with Adramelech, using the Le Breton version as a model from plumage to posture to headdress, but not without appropriate cosmetic embellishments like lipstick and mascara befitting a demon whose job requires fashion sense and looking fab.

A noticeable difference is the object held in the left hand: Le Breton’s grasps a kind of eyeglass, presumably to aid in tailoring; Doi’s holds what could be a warming pan with coals. But that matters little. Any way you look at him, Adramelech is pure chic–and we are absolutely smitten. May there be many Doi’s Crib Notes of this caliber to come!