Second Artist Research: Franz Masereel

Franz Masereel (1889-1972) was a Belgian artist and illustrator best known for his woodcuts and linocuts, which he used to create visually exciting stories. He is regarded as one of the creators of the wordless novel, a style of graphic novel that uses images rather than words to convey a story.

Image Accessed: metmuseum

Masereel's work, which is still highly respected today, had a significant impact on how the graphic novel was created. His skillful wordless storytelling has influenced generations of artists. His use of bold lines and stark contrasts gives his pictures a sense of drama and urgency.

Image Accessed: metmuseum

There are several things that artists can learn from Franz Masereel. I have included them in some points.

1. The strength of simplicity: He was able to make complicated concepts and feelings clear by using few lines and a restricted colour scheme. Masereel's aptitude for reducing a picture to its most fundamental components is instructive for artists.

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2. The value of Storytelling: He was able to construct gripping stories without uttering a word, depending instead on the emotive impact of his images. Artists can take inspiration from Masereel's use of visual storytelling to evoke a sense of excitement and energy.

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3. The role of art in Politics: Masereel's work was very political, and he used it to oppose democratic governments and promote the interests of the working class. Masereel's dedication to using his art to address social and political problems is an example for artists to follow.

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4. The flexibility of printmaking: Masereel was a master of printmaking who employed numerous methods to produce his works. Masereel's exploration of various printmaking methods and the distinctive results they can produce can serve as inspiration for artists.

Image Accessed: theanarch

Overall, artists can learn from Masereel's brilliant use of simplicity, storytelling, political involvement, and printmaking methods to create powerful and emotionally resonant images.

To see more of his art works, you can access the link below:

https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/frans-masereel-the-city/

 

References

Fultz, T. (2017) Franz Masereel: The first woodcut novelist. Available at: https://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/in-circulation/2017/frans-masereel-woodcut

 (Accessed: 02/23/2023).

 

Cantus, R. (2016) Franz Masereel and his woodcuts . Available at: https://inexpensiveprogress.com/1172/frans-masereel-and-his-woodcuts/

 (Accessed: 02/23/2023)