brizreading's review
5.0
A strange, brilliant, and charming book. I have no idea how this could possibly be considered a children's book - unless your child moonlights as an AP art history teacher with the sense of humor and cultural reference points of a 70 year old.
But no matter.
This is such a fun, weird book. I bought it because (a) ITALY, (b) for children, (c) using drawings rich in architecture and perspective. AKA it wowed me the way David Macaulay's books have been wowing me. But whereas Macaulay is _also_ a kind of visual jokester with a master draftsman's hand at drawing perspective and a love of architecture and deep, deep, DEEEEEEEP nerd study, and, okay, an old man and therefore with old cultural reference points, Anno's vision is just... weirder.
First, it's completely wordless. He has an "explanation" of the "scenes" at the very end, but the explanation is rambling, with many digressions just all over the place (most notably, the story of Jesus - Anno is not Christian and this is not a Christian book, per se, but he weaves in Jesus's story and iconography throughout, since it's "important to understanding Western art and culture" - and lots and lots of Renaissance art). You're invited, by the images, to peer very deeply and scrutinize them VERY closely. Anno certainly did. He seems to have hand-drawn every. single. blade. of. grass. in those large rural scene. Every brick in the town.
Oh yes, that's another thing. This book is more an "inspired by true events" portrayal of Italy: Anno makes a hodgepodge of historical periods and places. Brunelleschi's dome is dumped in some random small town. So is the Trevi Fountain. Every awning has the Italian flag on it. In a way, this makes things feel a little surreal. This is not an accurate portrayal of any one place. It's an ensemble of how Italy [makes Italian hand gesture] FEEEEELS. Except for the nationalist awnings, which is very unItalian.
My favorite cultural reference was the unexpected Bicycles Thieves moment.
But no matter.
This is such a fun, weird book. I bought it because (a) ITALY, (b) for children, (c) using drawings rich in architecture and perspective. AKA it wowed me the way David Macaulay's books have been wowing me. But whereas Macaulay is _also_ a kind of visual jokester with a master draftsman's hand at drawing perspective and a love of architecture and deep, deep, DEEEEEEEP nerd study, and, okay, an old man and therefore with old cultural reference points, Anno's vision is just... weirder.
First, it's completely wordless. He has an "explanation" of the "scenes" at the very end, but the explanation is rambling, with many digressions just all over the place (most notably, the story of Jesus - Anno is not Christian and this is not a Christian book, per se, but he weaves in Jesus's story and iconography throughout, since it's "important to understanding Western art and culture" - and lots and lots of Renaissance art). You're invited, by the images, to peer very deeply and scrutinize them VERY closely. Anno certainly did. He seems to have hand-drawn every. single. blade. of. grass. in those large rural scene. Every brick in the town.
Oh yes, that's another thing. This book is more an "inspired by true events" portrayal of Italy: Anno makes a hodgepodge of historical periods and places. Brunelleschi's dome is dumped in some random small town. So is the Trevi Fountain. Every awning has the Italian flag on it. In a way, this makes things feel a little surreal. This is not an accurate portrayal of any one place. It's an ensemble of how Italy [makes Italian hand gesture] FEEEEELS. Except for the nationalist awnings, which is very unItalian.
My favorite cultural reference was the unexpected Bicycles Thieves moment.
mat_tobin's review
5.0
Alongside Journey, Britain and USA, I believe this wraps up Anno's travel picturebooks and I have enjoyed seeing each country through the eyes of a foreigner (especially his interpretation of Britain). The perspective remains the same throughout, a wonderful bird's-eye overview a poppy fields, Norman churches and stables, abandoned aqueducts and stone carvings of children suckling on the teets of a great wolf.
As with all of Anno's journeys, I take great pleasure in carefully browsing the streets, looking at the past lives but also the nods to great painting, music and literature which have obviously made an impression on Anno himself but what is most interesting this time is being able to follow the story of Christ, from the Annuniciation to the Crucifixion. As I followed this journey, so much of it in terms of the people and the buildings reminded me of Anno's Britain and USA. Anno himself touches on this at the back of his book:
'Physical and natural laws are universal, as are the ways of life for plants and animals throughout the world. Among us all, there are many more things in common than there are things that differ. Watching the sun set in Europe, I was reminded that there is only one sun in the world and it is the same sun from wherever you see it. Although it is difficult for me to understand European languages, I understand European hearts. This book has neither words nor letters, but I am certain that everybody who looks at it will be able to see what the people in it are doing and thinking.'
Maybe it's time that Anno is brought back and shared in the classrooms and we see how similar we all are.
As with all of Anno's journeys, I take great pleasure in carefully browsing the streets, looking at the past lives but also the nods to great painting, music and literature which have obviously made an impression on Anno himself but what is most interesting this time is being able to follow the story of Christ, from the Annuniciation to the Crucifixion. As I followed this journey, so much of it in terms of the people and the buildings reminded me of Anno's Britain and USA. Anno himself touches on this at the back of his book:
'Physical and natural laws are universal, as are the ways of life for plants and animals throughout the world. Among us all, there are many more things in common than there are things that differ. Watching the sun set in Europe, I was reminded that there is only one sun in the world and it is the same sun from wherever you see it. Although it is difficult for me to understand European languages, I understand European hearts. This book has neither words nor letters, but I am certain that everybody who looks at it will be able to see what the people in it are doing and thinking.'
Maybe it's time that Anno is brought back and shared in the classrooms and we see how similar we all are.
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