Pantagruel: Livre V, Chapter XXXVI - "Les Fresques" 1942

Bernard Reder created this illustration for Chapter XXXVI of Pantagruel's fifth book, a satirical novel by French Renaissance writer François Rabelais. Reder, born in Austria-Hungary, was part of the interwar generation of Jewish artists whose work synthesized modernism with folk traditions. Reder's woodcut presents a surreal scene populated by nude figures and fantastic beasts, reflecting the book's carnivalesque spirit. As in the writings of Mikhail Bakhtin, the grotesque bodies are not merely transgressive, but are also used to undermine social hierarchies. Note how the figures are entwined and interdependent; their nudity underscores their vulnerability. Reder's choice of woodcut, a traditional medium, grounds the dreamlike quality of the composition in a rich cultural history. The image resonates with a sense of freedom and transgression, inviting a dialogue between our own identities and the historical narratives that shape them. Reder's characters are caught in a dance, illustrating the personal and political possibilities of being unbounded.