November 12, 2009

Sing Swan Song


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

6 comments:

Adam Koford said...

I have this book and it's gorgeous and heartbreaking.

Smedley said...

Very Nice.

Laura@popdesign said...

I am out of superlatives for the artworks you are posting. What a gem!

Kickcan and Conkers said...

This is beautiful, thanks.

Ribambins said...

Thank you for sharing. Just posted a couple of illustrations from "The Bears' Autumn". He is one of our prefered illustrator.

Will said...

Thank you all. Ribambins, just checked out your post on "Bears." Wonderful stuff, I must get it!