Elegant Enigmas

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Overview

The delightful tales and theatrical drawings of Edward Gorey (American, 1925-2000) reflect a special kind of genius for what is left unwritten and unseen. In Gorey's vaguely Victorian world of well-tended gardens and opulent estates, smoke-belching factories and fog-shrouded streets, nothing seems certain or quite as it should be. Chaos lurks just beneath life's tidy surface, occasionally erupting in surprising events with unexpected, often horrific consequences. But when tragedy befalls Gorey's quirky cast of ...
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More About This Book

Overview

The delightful tales and theatrical drawings of Edward Gorey (American, 1925-2000) reflect a special kind of genius for what is left unwritten and unseen. In Gorey's vaguely Victorian world of well-tended gardens and opulent estates, smoke-belching factories and fog-shrouded streets, nothing seems certain or quite as it should be. Chaos lurks just beneath life's tidy surface, occasionally erupting in surprising events with unexpected, often horrific consequences. But when tragedy befalls Gorey's quirky cast of characters-hapless waifs, dusty dowagers, scheming tycoons, and unhinged maidens-somehow we can't keep from laughing. Far from casting us into the abyss, Gorey reminds us to contemplate mortality with a smile.

In Elegant Enigmas: The Art of Edward Gorey, more than 175 reproductions include samples from Gorey's books, illustrations produced for other writers, theatrical sets and costume designs, and a wealth of individual pieces, many never before published. Sketches, typewritten manuscripts, doodles, and musings join the generous selection of finished works.

Published on the occasion of the first retrospective of Edward Gorey's work, at the Brandywine River Museum, Elegant Enigmas is a tribute to a master artist and writer, who with murderously dry humor created a body of work singular in its brilliance and charm.

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Editorial Reviews

Library Journal
As Wilkin writes, when Edward Gorey's name is mentioned, people either ask "Who?" or dive into a lengthy discussion of why they absolutely love the man and his art. Even if you don't recognize his name, you have probably seen his work in the opening of Mystery! on PBS. His careful crosshatch drawings take audiences to the edge of safety and drop them off in uncertain waters, yet the drawings still manage to delight and provoke. Wilkin provides an exhibition catalog to accompany the first traveling showing of Gorey's work, organized by the Brandywine River Museum, Chadds Ford, PA. Different from typical exhibition catalogs, which focus on art and artists in an academic light, this book is suitable for gift giving or simple enjoyment at a good price. VERDICT Interested scholars can seek out Wilkin's other offerings on Edward Gorey (e.g., Ascending Peculiarity: Edward Gorey on Edward Gorey or The World of Edward Gorey), while folks who like Gorey's slyly disturbing illustrations will relish this nicely produced romp of a book.—Nadine Dalton Speidel, Cuyahoga Cty. P.L., Parma, OH
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780764948046
  • Publisher: Pomegranate Communications, Inc.
  • Publication date: 4/1/2009
  • Pages: 123
  • Sales rank: 594,359
  • Product dimensions: 8.90 (w) x 10.70 (h) x 0.80 (d)

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