SoraNiizu

I wish you all a happy new year !! *A bit late haha*

I hope that everybody will live amazing things in 2018, and I’d like to thank you for all the support you’re giving me !! 2017 was a tough year concerning my studies and I didn’t have much time to draw, but you kept on following this blog, this comic, and I received such nice words, and for that I am grateful <3 !!

I wish you all a happy new year !! *A bit late haha*

I hope that everybody will live amazing things in 2018, and I’d like to thank you for all the support you’re giving me !! 2017 was a tough year concerning my studies and I didn’t have much time to draw, but you kept on following this blog, this comic, and I received such nice words, and for that I am grateful <3 !!

Page 5 from chapter two.

Other pages on The Silmarillion Comic.

My main art blog : SoraNiizu

Page 5 from chapter two.

Other pages on The Silmarillion Comic.

My main art blog : SoraNiizu

My exams are over and I’m finally in Holidays !! And that means : time for drawing !!! I’m so glad. Here’s a quick Sauron pic to celebrate !

My main blog : Sora Niizu

Hi everyone ! My Patreon page is finally ready ! :) Here’s the LINK !

So, as I explain on my Patreon page, I created it for the Silmarillion comic mostly. But it might really help me with all I am creating beside the comic as well : the rest of my art and illustrations, costumes and cosplay, and photography. Access to the Silmarillion comic blog and to the rest of my art will always be free, but, sincerely, a little help every month can really make an awesome difference <3 !! Don’t hesitate to share the post !! Thanks for everything guys !! Love you all !

Patrons who donate $1 or more per month will have access to “behind the scenes” posts, such as wip of the “Silmarillion” comic pages, other illustrations wip, and some of my costumes wip ! Every month you’ll also have access to a post about the global making of my comic, such as my design of Tolkien’s characters for example, or more general content about my art :) !

Patrons who donate $5 or more per month will also have access to :

-“behind the scenes” posts, such as wip of the “Silmarillion” comic pages, other illustrations wip, and some of my costumes wip !

- Every month you’ll also have access to a post about the global making of my comic, such as my design of Tolkien’s characters for example, or more general content about my art :) !

- You’ll also have access to more rough sketches, not only about the comic but of my art in general.

- Once a month you’ll have access to a post with tips, tutorials (about art, costumes, cosplay…), or about my own artistic views and experiences :)

- Finally, once a month you’ll be able to see a page of my comic 2 or 3 days before I post it on my blog :)

(I’ve put this on the Patreon page, but I’m leaving it here as well) :

Page 4 from chapter two.

Other pages on The Silmarillion Comic.

Page 3 from chapter two.

Other pages on The Silmarillion Comic.

Short answer: the love of my life

Long answer: Charles-Geneviève-Louis-Auguste-André-Timothée d'Éon de Beaumont (5 October 1728 – 21 May 1810), or Chevalier d'Éon, was a French spy, diplomat and soldier. She appeared publicly as a man for 49 years, then identified (and dressed) as a woman for the rest of her life.

Among other things, she fought the Seven Years’ War, infiltrated the court of Empress Elizabeth of Russia, stole invasion documents from Louis XV while spying for him, and did fencing matches until she was 68 years old. Yeah. I said 68 years old. Here she is, on the right, fighting a duel:

-First, it would be inappropriate to use “she/her” pronouns, as Charles de Beaumont never truly reavealed their true gender. I support the transgender cause, being transgender myself. But from a historical point of view, and considering the data we have about the Chevalier, it is impossible to tell their gender. Hear me : Charles de Beaumont was indeed a spy, but they had a thing for drama. They wrote their own biography. Reading said biography, there are a lot of facts that don’t match with other historical facts from the period. Whether or not Charles considered themselves a woman, we cannot tell. When did they began dressing as a woman, we cannot tell either. What we cannot tell as well, is why did they dress as a woman : was it because they were indeed transgender, a word we can hardly use because it didn’t exist at the 18th century (i mean, the word, not trans people, they existed since the beginning of humanity), and would certainly not have quite the same meaning. Or did they dress as a woman to confuse their ennemies ? Know this : they began to claim being a woman when their life was in danger, when they desesperatly wanted to go back to France (they lived at London at the time and were kind of trapped there). Louis the 16th gave his approval to Charles coming back in France, upon on condition : now that Charles had declared themselves a woman, no matter for which motive, they would have to come back to France dressed as a woman, and officially be a woman. But it is known that Charles felt trapped by their own plans... I love the idea of the Chevalier being a transgender, or Genderfluid, but Charles tried, during all their life, to confuse people around them. That was in their personality. They had a male body, and concerning their gender, nothing is certain, as the Chevalier didn’t cut their life in two : They did not live their life as a man, then as woman. It wasn’t that simple, even in their own mind... And they always managed to forge their own legend, and we’ll probably never know the truth. using “she/her” is to assume Charles’ gender...

-Also, they did not infiltrated the Russian court. They came with a letter from Louis the 15th destined to be given to Elizabeth of Russia. Again, History and Legend are mixed up. Some say Charles presented themselves dressed as a woman. Some said it was just during bals where cross dressing was a trend Elizabeth loved. And Charles wasn’t alone during this mission. They cerainly did an amazing career and suceeded in their mission, but we can hardly say, regarding historical facts, that they ‘infiltrated’ Russian court.

-And Charles never stole invasion documents from Louis XV. Quite the contrary. The King entrusted Charles with the great task of going to England, and secretly building an invasion plan. Louis XV wanted his revenge against England after the dramatic defeat of the Seven years War. What the Chevalier did was keeping those plans as a mean of threat, and self-defense, when things started to turn dangerous for their career and life.

Things are that we know lots of things about Charles de Beaumont, but they also wrote lot of other things about their own life, and we don’t have any mean to know the truth. Charles was a narcissist. They was a genius, and we can maybe compare his personality with Mozart’s. Shocking people, standing for their beliefs, daring to challenge anyone.. Charles wrote their own legend. It is kind of beautiful because, in that way, everybody can choose the version they like best. But let us not mix legend with known, historical facts... Vive le Chevalier/Chevalière !