Released in October 2023, "Nous sommes d'hier" ("We are from Yesterday"), the fourth album by SÜHNOPFER, has garnered high acclaim for its musical and conceptual depth. The record is enriched by a cover painting from Charles Dubus, a distinguished draughtsman who gave perfect visual form to the theoretical ideas of band mastermind Ardraos/Florian. In an extensive interview for our behind-the-scenes series, Dubus discusses art, education, and his collaboration with SÜHNOPFER.

Q: Hello Charles! Would you be so kind as to take us back to the beginning of your interest in Art? When did you start your artistic path and how did that passion develop?

I have been drawing and painting since childhood, and I have always explored dreamlike themes in my works. Early on I entered the Beaux-Arts school in France, but that school was shitty. At the Beaux-Arts de France, they practice contemporary art-like performances and other happenings, such as throwing paint on the ground, old objects picked up in trash cans and piled up or similar stuff like this. In France, you cannot find any valid academic art education. And as I wanted to do something traditional – to learn how to draw and especially the craft of oil painting – I quickly left this sort of squat "superior school of art" of Northern France. I started working in several fields as day jobs, and I also corrected (in French) the dissertations and university works of Chinese students for money. While reviewing these works dealing with the sciences of humanities, I began to research and read history essays, art history and so forth. This was the beginning of my research. I decided to resume studies in history, and after that continued to dig deeper into questions of cultural heritage. Gradually, drawing and art, which I had put on standby during my studies, returned to my daily life. Eventually, I started mixing art and the science of history. Today, I constantly use the influence of humanities to compose my pictures. So indeed, I am a self-taught artist, but I bring a special form of precision with me: I met Chinese academic painters who passed on a part of their skills to me. In China, the level of academic drawing and painting is very, very high!

Q: As far as I can see on Instagram, you are a painter, a draughtsman, and an engraver. Did you start all three of these artistic professions at the same time? Or did you train yourself at different times in these crafts? Did you receive some "formal" training?

Yes indeed! I am a drawer, painter, illustrator, engraver, and I sometimes also do a little bit of video production. I also write quite a few texts about Art and about my artworks, sometimes methodological notes. I discovered the Art of engraving during my two short years at Art school (it was the only interesting thing I was able to do there). In painting, I am a hundred percent self-taught. In classical drawing, I received a little help from my Chinese friends! But I had no teacher. And now, I teach drawing and colour technics myself!

Q: You also do "illustration de reconstitution". Does this mean that you restore old paintings which have been damaged over the course of time?

This denomination refers to historical and archaeological reconstruction of images. It's a bit like paleoart which might be more known? It is a very interesting and very complex area, full of questions, investigations, research in historic/archeologic sources, and so forth. That's what I like! I am a bit like a police investigator. For example, in 2022, I reconstructed, for the Maritime Museum of Dunkirk, the face of Jean Bart - a famous French privateer under the reign of King Louis XIV - from old anthropological photos of his skull (face and profile) as well as old portraits of the character. Another time, I recreated in a drawing the daily life of soldiers inside a medieval defense tower for a public archeology service, and so forth. But I create these works with traditional media to grant them substance. I do not use 3D software. I invite you to check out my Instagram, if you want to know more!

Q: I saw that certain paintings of yours are also exhibited in different museums. Could you explain to us how "new" paintings end up in museums?

Indeed! Firstly, there is the portrait of the privateer Jean Bart kept in the Dunkirk Maritime Museum, since the museum commissioned it. And given that my first solo show exhibition took place in a museum, namely the Fine Arts museum of "the Chartreuse" in Douai, Northern France (a superb Flemish Museum which is a former convent of Carthusian monks), the institution bought some works of mine for their collection.

Q: If I am not mistaken, the artwork for SÜHNOPFER is the only album cover you have created so far for a Metal band. How did you get involved in the world of Extreme Metal in the first place?

That's right, it's the very first artwork that I've created for a musical album, and what's more, for Metal. Though, I have been listening to Metal for a long time. I started by listening to LINKIN PARK, AC/DC, PINK FLOYD and more when I was a child. Later on, I appreciated DRUDKH and then I moved on to other styles and other Metal universes. Looking back, I realize that Metal music was essential in the development of my artistic work: when I painted this or that picture, when I engraved this or that etching, I immersed myself in Metal albums. DRUDKH, for example, provide real fuel. For me, visual Art and music are linked. Concerning SÜHNOPFER: Florian spotted my work, and he contacted me.

This imaginary landscape oil painting you can see below, for example, was made in 2012 while listening to DRUDKH:

Q: I recognized that the Bible passages from the Book of Job 8-9 were of importance not only for the album and its title, but also for the painting itself. How did you come up with the idea for this cover artwork?

The idea came when Florian explained to me the meaning of his album. He gave me the key to understand his work before I created the cover illustration, and so I came up with the idea of directly taking up the traditional iconography of this mentioned passage from the Book of Job. As usual, I carried out historical and iconographic research to have a firm grasp on the subject at hand. And in fact, it all matched well with the musical universe set up by the album since it is rooted in our French history and evokes the loss of royalty. Most fittingly, I dressed my King-Job in the ragged cape of a medieval French king. It's all so dramatic, and this is what romantic artists like me are looking for! This also accounts for the décor and the whole setting of the scene.

Q: When did the collaboration with SÜHNOPFER start? Did you already know Florian and his Art? Did you listen to the album before painting?

Florian had already contacted me before the creation of the album. He knew what he was going to craft, and he knew that his album could be highlighted by my visual work. He understood my style would perfectly embody his next work, and his Baroque spirit.

And yes, of course, Florian made it possible for me to listen to his album demo so that I could absorb it concretely and translate into pictures what I felt while listening on headphones.

Q: Could you lead us through the process from first pencil-strokes to the final picture we now see on "Nous sommes d'Hier"? What stages were necessary? Which techniques and materials do you use?

I first drew up an atmospheric sketch (in pencil on small paper) to visually establish what I had in my mind and show to Florian. Initially, the setting was quite large and the character seemed small in the middle of the setting. However, as I started a first original painting in this initial configuration, I soon realized that it wasn't working. The composition wasn't impactful enough. Something was wrong with the perspective, it seemed too wrong. So, I suggested to Florian cropping the initial image to enlarge the king, give him a more important place and therefore be able to paint more details in that character. I managed to display around him the ruined walls and, above all, the columns still standing. This was very important to me! So, I started again a new original painting: this brings with it the authenticity of an old-fashioned work, I do not craft digital Art. And it's true that quite a few steps are necessary to create a traditional picture like this. I made it using mixed media, combining drawing, watercolor, gouache, and pastel chalks…and a few touches of oil pastel. Overall, I must have worked maybe a month on this artwork.

See here the original sketch for the project:

And here is the cropped version:

The finished artwork:

Q: Where do you work on such art? Do you have your own studio, or do you work in your flat/house etc?

I have my studio, and for this type of creation, I need to be cut off from the world to work well. When I am working seriously, I become "un ours" (like a beast) and can't stop working on something.

Q: How did you communicate with Florian during the creative phase? Did you interact a lot?

What a vexed question! You know, the communication with Florian was really very, very complicated, we never agreed, and I constantly had to argue every little point to make the project grow – just kidding, of course! Florian and I understood each other well and the collaboration was very fluid!

Q: Did it feel unusual and strange for you to be working on a cover artwork for a Metal band? Does this project stand out from your normal artistic oeuvre, or is this totally accepted in your cultural sphere?

That is a good question… In fact, this artwork must have surprised those who follow my work more than myself. Because for me, working on this type of illustration is a very natural thing. I received some feedback telling me that the image seems reminiscent of King Lear and this Shakespearean world, so very close to the 19th century. I also heard that the image was very beautiful. So, I see it as a success!

Listen to the album here: