“Her passing marks the loss of a leading figure of French culture and an artist devoted to freedom, whose work carried a universal message and earned her immense international acclaim,” the French presidency said in a statement.

French-Iranian author and illustartor Marjane Satrapi, best known for the book and film “Persopolis”, has died, her family said on Thursday. She was 56.

Des proches de l'artiste ont annoncé son décès à l'AFP dans un communiqué.

Born in Iran, the artist moved to France in her youth due to censorship in her homeland