Artists Registry

Jean Luc Leguay was born in Cannes, France in 1953. He started his career as ballet dancer, became an international renowned choreographer but in 1980 decided to give it all up to follow the path of the traditional Masterr illuminators. His initiation into the art of illumination began under the tutelage of a Franciscan hermit in Southern Italy. He received the teaching of his Master of Light whilst enforcing rigorous self-discipline and menial tasks upon himself. After ten years he was accepted as an Illuminator and given the name of Heraclius . This name chosen by his Master testifies to his authentic descent.
On his Master’s death in 1990, Jean-Luc Leguay became one of a few keepers of the traditional Italian knowledge as well as the first layman of this tradition dating back to the 8th century. Back to Paris, he anonymously painted illuminations for a small circle of collectors.
In 1994, after narrowly escaping death in an accident, he spent six months in a re-habilitation center to recover full use of his right arm.
Possessing centuries-old knowledge and skills, he made the decision to pass down the Path of Illumination and publish a book to open the paths to the Image of Light.
In 1997, he published the illuminations of “Perceval le Gallois” (Percival the Welshman), written by Chretien De Troyes,. Ipomée – Albin Michel publishing house,
In 1999, he illuminated Le Livre de l’Apocalypse (The Book of Revelation) published by Ipomée - Albin Michel.
After three years of work when he painted 120 illuminations, “La Divine Comédie” (The Divine Comedy) was published in 2003 by Ipomée Albin Michel.
In 2008, Jean-Luc Leguay published “Le Rituel de Consecration” (The Consecration Ritual), wholly illuminated and calligraphed.
In 2010, Dervy published Mutus Liber initiation (64 illuminated full-pages with a bilingual foreword and notes in French and English). Simultaneously, his autobiography, Le Maître de Lumière (The Master of Light) was published by Albin Michel in 2004. In this book, heunveils the secret making of an illumination and the close links between geometry and metaphysics.