The Book of Schuiten

Though he first made his name drawing comics, Belgian graphic artist Francois Schuiten has also illustrated books, designed theatrical scenery, collaborated on art design for films, exhibited at the Venice Biennale and designed subway stations. Writer Peeters, Schuiten's friend and frequent collaborator, created this handsome collection of illustrations from Schuiten's work outside comics, accompanied by an interview with the artist. Schuiten specializes in astonishing architectural fantasies, whether drawing upon styles of past centuries or creating retro visions of the futuristic, evoking early 20th-century science fiction. Immense blimps and zeppelins fill the skies above his cities. Schuiten's oeuvre combines fantasy illustration with a tradition of Belgian surrealism. Men with artificial wings stand poised to leap into flight through the city; a mammoth hand reaches towards a terrified man; a young girl faces gargantuan flying insects; Brobdingnagian books tower over the natural landscape; a youth hangs onto a rope while looking out over a variety of planetary spheres. This book invokes Magritte, Piranesi and Winsor McCay, along with artistic influences from German expressionism and even romanticism. On the cover, boat passengers gaze in wonder at Schuiten's monumental creations; readers of this book will do the same.