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Background
Originally
written 160+ years ago, Heinrich Hoffmann's cult-classic book
of morality tales, 'Der Struwwelpeter' lives on in this new adaptation
by Bob Staake and published by Fantagraphics Books.
| Heinrich's
original 1844 cover of the book (left) that would become a cult
classic. Staake's reinterpretation (right) is the most elaborate
and only version incorporating 100% digital art, design and typography.
Published by Fantagraphics and edited by Monte Beauchamp, it
is intended to remain faithful to Hoffmann's original vision
while giving the ten bizarre, "lesson-driven" stories
a modernized viability. |
| The
"scissor scene" (top) from Hoffmann's original Struwwelpeter.
This is the image that haunted Staake (and others) from childhood
on -- and the power of the gruesome scene compelled Staake to
reinterpret the Hoffmann classic in 2006. |
| Detail
of Hoffmann's original "black-a-moor" character (left)
and Staake's digital version (right) of an updated version |
| Hoffmann's
original final scene from 'The Wild Huntsman's Tale' (left) and
Staake's reinterpreted scene (right). Of all the new Staake scenes,
this is perhaps the one that most mirrors Hoffman's aesthetic
vision and design sensibility |
Your may
be interested in learning how Hoffmann originally came about
creating this bizarre children's book:
Dr. Heinrich
Hoffmann, a Frankfurt 'medical man of the lunatic asylum', wrote
and illustrated The Struwwelpeter (ShockHeaded Peter) more than
150 years ago because he couldn't find anything on the shelves
to fire the imagination of his children.
Below, he
recounts how he came to write "The Struwwelpeter":
"Towards
Christmas in the year 1844, when my eldest son was three years
old, I went to town with the intention to buy as a present for
him a picture book, which should be adapted to the little fellow's
powers of comprehension. But what did I find? Long tales, stupid
stories, beginning and ending with admonitions like 'the good
child must be truthful' or children must keep clean' ect. But
I lost all patience when I found a folio volume where a bench,
a chair, a jug, and many other things were drawn and under each
picture neatly written: 'half, a third, or a tenth of the natural
size'". A child, for whose amusement you are painting a
bench, will think that a real bench; he has not and need not
have an idea of the full size of a real bench. The child does
not reason abstractly."
"That
evening I nevertheless brought home a book, and handing it over
to my wife, said "There is what you wished for the little
one". She took it, calling out rather amazed "Well,
that is a note-book with blank leaves" - "Just so,
but we are going to make a book out of it". And it happened
thus: I was then obliged to practice in town where I was often
brought into contact with children. Now it certainly is a difficult
thing for a Doctor to make their little ones from 3 to 5 years
feel at their ease with him, because when they are in good health,
the medical man and the chimney-sweep are very often made bug-bears
of. 'My dear, if you are naughty the chimney-sweep will carry
you off' or 'Child, if you eat too much, the Doctor will come
with his nasty medicine'. The consequence is, that the little
angel, when ill, begins to cry violently and to struggle as soon
as the physician enters the room. On such occasions a slip of
paper and a pencil generally came to my assistance. A story,
invented on the spur of the moment, illustrated with a few touches
of the pencil and humorously related, will calm the little antagonist,
dry his tears, and allow the medical man to do his duty."
"In this
manner most of Struwwelpeter's absurd scenes originated. Some
of them were later inventions, sketched in the same impulsive
manner, without the least intention on my part of literary fame.
The book was bound, put under the Christmas-tree, and the effect
on the boy was just what I expected."
>>> Pixel Surgeon asks Bob Staake what prompted him
to re-examine Struwwelpeter
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