The Rose of Versailles – November 2024

This photo series is inspired by the classic manga The Rose of Versailles, originally published in 1972. Created by Riyoko Ikeda, the story is set between 1770 and the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789, and is notable not only for its historical drama but also for Ikeda’s involvement in Japan’s New Left movement — something that deeply influenced the tone of her work. Rather than drawing from any one photographer, I turned to historical painting for emotional reference. I was especially drawn to works in the Romantic style — pieces that conveyed strong feeling and atmosphere. To help recreate that painterly quality, I used vintage Helios 40 and 44 lenses. Their unique optical flaws and softness helped give the images a textured, almost hand-painted feel that modern lenses often lack. Artistically, I took particular inspiration from Eugène Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People (1830) and Sunset (1850), as well as Caspar David Friedrich’s Wanderer above the Sea of Fog (1818). These pieces helped guide the mood and compositional choices in the series, grounding the photos in a sense of historical drama while honouring the source material.