These animal characters, from Monsieur Lion to Madame Cochon, are inspired by growing up reading and viewing the illustrations of traditional fables and picture books. Children’s books such as by the Brother’s Grimm, Charles Perrault, Aesop’s Fables, Alice and Wonderland, filled with detailed pen and ink drawings, some with color plates, were a great influence. The work of Ernest Henry Griset (1844-1907), a victorian illustrator, has always been of great interest to me.