With Les Irrévérencieuses, BeuS brings the imagery of the 18th century into dialogue with the visual codes of our time. Working in blue ballpoint pen, the artist creates portraits in which historical references and contemporary signs collide, deliberately blurring periods and representations.
A powdered hairstyle, a silhouette seemingly belonging to another century. Then a detail disrupts the image: dark glasses, a tattoo, a leather harness or contemporary clothing. In BeuS’s work, portraiture constantly plays with this sense of displacement.
BeuS, also known as Sébastien Boismoreau, draws on the codes of art history without seeking to reproduce them. In his series Les Irrévérencieuses, the 18th century encounters the present, turning the female figure into a space where different periods enter into dialogue.
BeuS, Sébastien Boismoreau, in his studio with his blue ballpoint pen drawingsImages that resist the first glance
Marie Antoinette naturally inhabits this world. Yet BeuS is less interested in the historical figure herself than in what her image has become: a representation endlessly reproduced, transformed and reinterpreted.
In Irrévérence, a young woman wearing an 18th-century-inspired hairstyle conceals her gaze behind a leather harness. Only her red lips interrupt the dominance of blue. Elsewhere, a face fragments into puzzle pieces, as though identity itself were still being reconstructed.
These encounters between historical references and contemporary signs gradually shift our perception. The portrait no longer simply seeks to represent: it introduces uncertainty.
Sans culotte by BeuS, blue ballpoint pen drawing combining 18th-century imagery and contemporary culture, 2025Ballpoint pen as an artistic language
This tension is also expressed through technique. BeuS works primarily with blue ballpoint pen, transforming an everyday object into a remarkably precise drawing medium.
Through layers of lines and variations in density, he creates volume, texture, shadow and light. Blue becomes a visual signature, giving the works their unity while allowing certain details to emerge in striking contrast.
Technical virtuosity, however, is never an end in itself. It serves a broader visual construction in which every detail contributes to the narrative.
L’Affirmée by BeuS, fragmented puzzle portrait in blue ballpoint pen, 2026Slowing down to look again
At a time when images pass across our screens in a matter of seconds, BeuS’s portraits move in the opposite direction. They invite us to stop, examine a detail and then reconsider the image as a whole.
Beneath the elegance of the compositions and the precision of the drawing, Les Irrévérencieuses explores the way representations are constructed, transmitted and transformed.
In BeuS’s work, the portrait is ultimately not simply something to be looked at: it also questions the person looking.
In issue 34 of ART MAG, discover the full portrait of BeuS, his artistic journey, the world of Les Irrévérencieuses and a selection of works offering a deeper insight into his distinctive approach to ballpoint pen drawing.
FAQ — BeuS and his artistic practice
BeuS, whose name is Sébastien Boismoreau, is an artist whose work notably explores portraiture. In his series Les Irrévérencieuses, he combines references to the 18th century with contemporary visual codes to question image, identity and representation.
What technique does BeuS use?
BeuS works primarily with blue ballpoint pen. Through layers of lines and variations in density, he creates volume, shadow, light and highly detailed surfaces. Blue has become one of the defining visual characteristics of his work.
What is BeuS’s Les Irrévérencieuses series?
Les Irrévérencieuses is a series of female portraits in which BeuS brings different periods into dialogue. 18th-century-inspired hairstyles appear alongside tattoos, sunglasses and contemporary accessories, blurring historical boundaries and questioning the way we perceive images.
Why does Marie Antoinette appear in BeuS’s work?
For BeuS, Marie Antoinette represents a historical figure whose image has extended far beyond historical reality. He draws on this collective imagery to explore how female figures are viewed, transformed and reinterpreted over time.
Where can you discover BeuS’s work?
BeuS is represented by Galerie La Distillerie 66. His work and the Les Irrévérencieuses series are also featured in ART MAG International #34, available in print and digital editions.