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Frans Masereel – The Sun, The Idea & Story Without Words, Three Graphic Novels

Click for larger version Frans Masereel – The Sun, The Idea & Story Without Words, Three Graphic Novels
[Dover Publications 2009]
Introduced by David A. Beronä

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Rich in symbolism, these compelling graphic novels feature more then 200 starkly beautiful woodcut illustrations. The passionate, dynamic narratives include The Sun (Le Soleil, 1919), a sombre exploration of one man's struggle with destiny; The Idea (Idee: sa naissance, sa vie, sa mort, 1920), a depiction of the triumph of an artistic concept over attempts at its suppression; and Story Without Words (Histoire sans paroles, 1920), a tale of thwarted romance.

Belgian-born Masereel illustrated the works of Tolstoy, Zola, and Oscar Wilde, but he made the greatest impact with his wordless novels. These three stories reflect the German Expressionist revival of the art of the woodcut. Precursors to today's graphic novels, they also represent a centuries-old tradition of picture books for unschooled audiences. Masereel combines allegory and satire in his explorations of love, alienation, and artistic creation. Thomas Mann praised these striking Expressionistic images as "so compelling, so deeply felt, so rich in ideas, that one never tires of looking at them."

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 29th, 2009 at 10:35 and is filed under Reading List.
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