Gargantua: Chapter XXII - Les jeux - ses toupis 1942

Bernard Reder made this wood engraving, Gargantua: Chapter XXII - Les jeux - ses toupis, but when exactly, we don't know. The figures are all elbows and necks, big noses and bug eyes. The black and white printing process lends itself to really graphic, high-contrast images and this one is no exception. I wonder what Reder might have been thinking when he chose to picture this scene from Rabelais’ book. The story of Gargantua and Pantagruel is full of tall tales, raucous laughter, and bodily humor, and the games that Reder’s characters are playing are captured with a sense of chaos and absurdity. The figures are expressive and full of energy, as they engage in their revelry. Look at those gesticulating hands and the funny gestures, it's all so playful and energetic. It reminds me of Grosz and Dix and other German Expressionist artists of the time. Ultimately, Reder's wood engraving seems like a great invitation to embrace the messy, absurd, and playful aspects of life!