Is this artbook by Clamp based on a series?

Question

I was at a convention recently and I saw a few volumes of this at one of the trader's stalls:

The blurb on the back was quite non-descript and the guy running the stall seemed too busy for me to chat about it.

I left it alone, because I figured it was probably based on something I hadn't read/watched.

I thought it looked interesting, so I went to see what it was based on, but I haven't been able to find very much information on this book.

Is the artbook an unattached work in Clamp's general style, or is it based on one of their series and I just haven't been able to find it?

Answer 1

It's related to the manga X. Here's a pretty helpful review by an Amazon.com user:

This is a well-made, high quality hardcover artbook collecting color artwork from the manga (comic) X/1999 (as it is published in the US). X/1999 is a supernatural, apocalyptic story about destiny and choices leading toward the end of the world, written and illustrated by a team of women collectively called CLAMP. The artwork here focuses on the numerous characters. As a loose generalization, the illustrations are either elegant or bloody. The characters themselves have the delicate, slender designs of all CLAMP characters. The female character illustrations shine here: the sword-wielding priestess Arashi, the innocent Yuzuriha Nekoi, and the fire-wielding Karen Kasumi, in particular. Other illustrations, particularly involving lead characters Kamui and Kotori, are scenes of violence or impending violence. X/1999 the comic has scenes of dismemberment; none of these illustrations reach that point, but they are not all sweetness and light. If you have read any comics by CLAMP (such as X/1999 or Rayearth) and think the art looks good in black and white, these full-color illustrations will show you CLAMP can reach an even higher level. One last note: this is a Japanese book, so it opens and reads in the opposite direction (but don't worry, it sits just as nicely on a bookshelf).