Alea Iacta Est, as the Romans Said
In September 2022, I was working on two book cover projects. Book design is not at the centre of my artistic practice, but I enjoy these occasional projects. They require a different way of thinking about images: a work has to function in relation to a title, typography and the character of a book.
Alongside the two covers, I would also like to show a recent dragon painting. A rather different project, but one that seemed to fit surprisingly well here.
Book Cover #1: Theodor Storm’s Poems
The design turned out a little differently from the first cover drafts. Since the book was to appear in German and Chinese for a Chinese-speaking audience, I felt that Storm’s name in Chinese should have a prominent place. The version shown here still uses German lettering.
It was good to see the project becoming a co-production by Bacopa and Sonatabook. As long as the publishers were happy, so was I. I am not an expert in book publishing, and I certainly do not claim to understand the Chinese book market.
That is not quite the whole story. As a student, I published a literary magazine with four friends, as well as three books. We were quite successful—depending on what one means by success. Paying the printer’s bill and buying a few rounds of beer with the profit counted for us. So did seeing some of the authors we first published become well known years later.
We also caused a stir now and then. Once, a provincial governor whose tender feelings we had hurt even threatened to sue.
I had begun selecting illustrations for the Storm volume: thirty-one poems and thirty-one illustrations, all in colour. Bringing his delicate poetry together with my mostly expressive work was an appealing task.
Book Cover #2: Wolfgang Kubin
Das Buch der Zähren: Swatower Oden, Wiener Elegien
Bacopa had already included the projects in its announcements, and I had gained a modest place among its authors and illustrators. That brings me to the second cover.
Wolfgang Kubin’s book brought together odes to Swatow and Viennese elegies. His poetry is strong, but words such as “Zähren”—an old word for tears—“odes” and “elegies” felt decidedly retro to me. So I deliberately chose a cover that I hoped would catch the eye. The first reactions were not exactly euphoric; by then, however, everyone seemed much more satisfied.
The illustrations presented another difficulty. They were to be black and white, while much of my recent painting lived through colour. I did not want simply to return to older works. The two parts of the book also called for different responses: Swatow, now Shantou, and Vienna, approached through Kubin’s own associations and turns of thought.
There was less pressure of time on this book. The Storm volume, by contrast, was intended for the Christmas table that year.
And the Dragon
My dragon series was developing more slowly. I wanted to begin with a simple form—one or two strokes—move towards greater complexity, then arrive at another kind of simplicity. At this point, I was somewhere in the middle. I did not want to rush it; newer thoughts needed time to enter the work.
Of course, it is about abstraction. Little remains of a recognisable dragon here: perhaps a long, slender body and a suggestion of claws, if one allows the imagination some room. What matters to me is whether the painting carries the feeling of a dragon winding powerfully through the air.
Related Articles
Book Cover Designs for Theodor Storm’s Poems · Illustrating Wolfgang Kubin’s Odes and Elegies · The Children’s Book
Explore Art & Writing
Art Portfolio → Featured Artworks → Arts & Philosophy Journal → All Articles
Explore Asian Art Essays for writing on Chinese painting, calligraphy, aesthetics and art history.
Available Artworks
Original works are available on FriedrichZettl.com and Saatchi Art
Leave a Reply