Daniel Casanave is one of those discreet yet essential authors who have given comics a cultural, poetic, and accessible dimension.
Born in the Ardennes region of France, he grew up surrounded by images, books, and curiosity.
After studying at the Reims School of Fine Arts, he explored several avenues: children’s illustration, editorial cartooning, set design, posters… in short, anything that allowed him to tell stories through drawing.
But it was comics that became his preferred medium.
He settled in Reims, where he gradually built a unique universe at the crossroads of literature, history, and philosophy.
Daniel Casanave,
Comics in the genes,
France 3 Grand Est
Casanave isn’t one to follow trends. What he loves is creating a dialogue between drawing and words.
He adapts works by authors like Jarry, Baudelaire, Verlaine, and Nerval with equal respect and freedom, giving these literary figures a second life in images.
But be warned: he doesn’t simply “illustrate” the books, but rather interprets them visually. He stages emotions, contradictions, and follies with a tone that is both accessible and intelligent.
His graphic novel, Nerval the Inconsolable, is a perfect example of this approach: a poetic portrait of a fragile artist, drawn with restraint and delicacy.
Daniel Casanave’s work isn’t limited to literature. He also enjoys exploring knowledge, grand ideas, and stories from the real world.
With Sapiens: The Birth of Humanity, created in collaboration with Yuval Noah Harari and David Vandermeulen, he takes on the challenge of transforming a philosophical and anthropological essay into a captivating visual adventure.
In Petit Pierre: The Mechanics of Dreams, he delves into the life of a naive and inventive artist, creating poetic carousels from scrap metal.
An artist curious about everything
Versatile, Casanave has also worked in theater, illustration, and set design.
This diversity is evident in his approach to composing a page: his framing, backgrounds, and transitions have a cinematic quality.
He enjoys collaborations, the intersection of disciplines, and projects where drawing serves as a tool for communication.
His work demonstrates a profound respect for texts and for the reader.
