Les Étoiles

Les étoiles, Grandville’s last work (published posthumously in 1849), anthropomorphizes stars as star-women hovering over the Earth, charming and mystical. When beginning this book, Grandville said, “for too long I have kept my eyes lowered to the Earth; now I want to lift them to the heavens.” As he knew death was near, the artist stated that he would soon be able to study the “stars” from closer at hand. Les étoiles, which included his first biography, became a memorial to Grandville, and featured a commemorative portrait with his creations adoring him from below.