Friday, May 13, 2011

Sing Swan Song

SOURCE   A Journey Round My Skull - Click here to go to original post

01 Keizaburo Tejima, Swan Sky, 1983

Keizaburo Tejima's Swan Sky (1983, Japan) was published in the US in 1988. In fact, publishers brought out a handful of books by this masterful writer-illustrator in the 80s.

Book description: 'Despite the devoted attentions of her family, a young swan is unable to accompany them on the journey to their summer home.'

Swan Sky is physically huge, and the woodcuts at such a size are breathtaking. My scrappy stitch-jobs do not do them justice. (Note that the next two images are halves of larger spreads.) The book's culminating image (above) is magic.

Keizaburo Tejima's books are currently out-of-print in the US, but I have the feeling they will keep being rediscovered and reprinted here and around the world.


02 Keizaburo Tejima, Swan Sky, 1983


03 Keizaburo Tejima, Swan Sky, 1983


04 Keizaburo Tejima, Swan Sky, 1983
From Owl Lake by Keizaburo Tejima