Illustration and editorial design for the short story Une Lamie Dans Les Cevennes by English author A.S. Byatt.

In the narrative an English artist moves from London to a country house in the Cevennes, France where he has a swimming pool built. In its depths he discovers a half woman, half serpent who speaks to him with a cevennol accent. In accepting to become his muse, she asks only that he return her love and grant her one simple wish...

The painted canvas style illustrations reflect the main characters' obsession with and absorption of the powerful colours of his surrounding elements. An exaggerated horizontal layout and imposing bord perdu images aim to accentuate the surreal, dream-like tone of the short story.