'Anatomy of Melancholy'
Album artwork for Jan Swerts
Concept by Jan Swerts
The album contains a serie songs driven by melancholy.
Each song is dedicated to one of Jan's heroes, who's work also has a tendency towards melancholy.
The booklet contains a serie corresponding portraits.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/e22e68da7305e2c1ad17df72_rw_600.jpg?h=9666ff8e6694e4bd6f99ad116dcf690c)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/53e13dbf633447a312e1ee6c_rw_600.jpg?h=145451762dd31dd62600e99b3261f0cd)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/e57ee6263ac81a8415003ab7_rw_600.jpg?h=660b5c251aa462b0f867213c832f8942)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/cfdab8b75bfb05bd9f7eed64_rw_600.jpg?h=e6b8323c61159ee83256a124fbe1de69)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/05708b4e02fd0c1d6f145ff6_rw_600.jpg?h=6e73e4daf7543d969570873e8978f0d7)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/6ccbcae2823dd217395d0ce1_rw_1920.jpg?h=42c499c08fa7f65ab63a5bf057d4441d)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/f3e4af6452d7922d9dc8d371_rw_1920.jpg?h=e2e3532f8e6934776e9a63a81c5bfa4b)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/e96cca7b91c3e5c321eaf78c_rw_1920.jpg?h=58338315c9ba75cb51f9851eedeaf728)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/6a28247f177b0da370a71b08_rw_1920.jpg?h=10988e424bfcbdb0c2f296daa1ae7cda)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/9441dd23616173776195607f_rw_1920.jpg?h=bc9379230fd98d93d2b14abb4e967968)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/ae4df525bd95eabd34b7dc1c_rw_1920.jpg?h=652c59efdd5594c84d0535c02768c4d7)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/a8c78b724b023a876c35ed71_rw_1920.jpg?h=ecf0f59121612fac3847d30a8e27dc40)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/b038b89ef64b78fc93dc816c_rw_1920.jpg?h=8b341d592aa24b12e4afb1ced4e170a7)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/59ba510ca36c87dc5c47c0ff_rw_1920.jpg?h=a7ac7d3074ad7fd6564df32f3786cb4c)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/59193a7095ffcd0fd43309ef_rw_1920.jpg?h=34d27dfdaefd994d6b143619932f5944)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/3fefaa2b779bd932e01c07ca_rw_1920.jpg?h=4632b6a2ceb31fcc14baab4c4e617ea1)
PROCES - COVERIMAGE
The idea for the portraitserie was clear from the start but the coverimage was a search.
Jan's proposal was to use an medical image of William Fairland & Francis Gibson (1869).
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/83512b8d377e6ff778d3f59d_rw_600.jpg?h=1acd6aa803f7036c36faae9d6752313c)
I like the image but wanted to make my own version.
I suggested the black sea and in my opinion it had to be 'Jan Swerts'.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/bcf7a3c40bcfd38d549c277f_rw_600.jpg?h=89e09a38fe113c325d95276db6ea5ad3)
'No way!', replayed the modest musican, "I don't want my face on the cover."
After some negotiation we agreaded to give it a try.
'As long as it doesn't resembes too much...'
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/ed5ce3d9ee457551ed34bff8_rw_600.jpg?h=83edc4643c85ff50c268ab16905188f4)
Oops...
In the beginning Jan wasn't so pleased but after a while he got used to it and even liked it very much... Whew...
Then Jan suggested to put a hospital on an island on the back of the cover.
Nice idea, it reminded me of the painting 'The isle of Death' by Arnold Böcklin.
This was a good inspiration for the mood.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/53ac450118c4bdfbc31f70b9_rw_600.jpg?h=dafb9dbca3ac8f922954f2a4128b8f42)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/d4948d833515703649b95f542ba5ddb7/c74906bf3add8147cabe1cbc_rw_600.jpg?h=6f87a6799728ba5608a50eb4d5cf248e)