The heroine of The Scarlet Rose will no longer go off to fight on hill and dale. Its creator, comic strip author Patricia Lyfoung, died this Wednesday, January 15 at the age of 47, announced her publisher, Delcourt, without specifying the causes of her disappearance. This French author of Laotian origin was known for her style mixing European and Japanese influences.
“The Delcourt group learned with deep sadness of the disappearance of Patricia Lyfoung which occurred today, January 15, at the age of 47”indicates the press release. Its editor praised “an exceptional artist, endowed with a rare talent for telling stories that transcend ages and cultures.” She had signed “nearly 60 titles” since 2005, all at Delcourt, and was one of the many authors invited to the Angoulême International Comics Festival at the end of January.
A hybrid style
His most famous comic book series, The Scarlet Rosetraces the story of Maud, a young fencer full of enthusiasm and talent, who tirelessly tries to avenge her father, the victim of mysterious assailants, all this in 18th century France. Her adventures spanned 21 albums, the last of which was released in November 2024. The designer is also at the origin of the series Les Mythicsa fashionable adventure series from Legendary against a backdrop of Greek mythology, and A prince to eat, romantic and sentimental wanderings of a young monarch, and whose first album was released in 2012.
All his work demonstrates a hybrid style, which combines influences from manga and inspirations drawn from Franco-Belgian comics. At the beginning, this graphic design was rather unusual in the world of illustration, and the success of his albums helped to popularize it.
From Villeneuve-la-Garenne to the Gobelins school
Patricia Lyfoung grew up in the working-class neighborhoods of Villeneuve-la-Garenne, north of Hauts-de-Seine, in a family of eight children. “I feel totally French, but in my face, I don’t look very French” testified the author of Laotian origin to of Monde. «I wasn’t too much of a community person and I rather wanted to get out of my environment.” she added. She hesitates to move towards drawing, her parents being “not very culturally inclined” she relates in the same article.
Finally, she was admitted to Gobelins, a famous school specializing in design and illustration, and began her career first on animated series like Totally Spies ! et Martin Mystery. It was in 2005 that she embarked on the adventure of The Scarlet Rosesold more than a million copies in France.
Source: www.liberation.fr
