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A review by mat_tobin
Anno's Italy by Mitsumasa Anno
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.