(SOLD): FUKUDA, Shigeo and William SHAKESPEARE. Romeo and Juliet.

(Tokyo): Shigeo Fukuda, 1965. First edition.  Softcover.  18cm by 18cm.  [16]-pages.  In 1595, a work was published that was destined to become one of the greatest classics of literature: Romeo and Juliet. This love story became an inspiration for many artists including the graphic designer Shigeo Fukuda who in 1963 reinterpreted this drama in a completely new way. In Fukuda’s interpretation the story is not developed through the use of verbal language, but through a captivating succession of coloured lines on a neutral background, which become personifications of the characters. The colour choice is therefore limited to four shades: from the title on the cover it is clear that Juliet will be represented with a bright red and Romeo with an ochre colour, while the secondary characters will be illustrated with blue strokes. These are the colours that represent, throughout the story, the entire narrative plot. In fact, they are continuous lines that follow the emotional journey of the characters, described through thickenings and breaks in the stroke. Meanwhile, these are accompanied by small quotes taken from the original work, which help the understanding of the illustrations. So the story goes on, page after page, following lines that seem to dance: they travel parallel, meet, collide, move away and, finally, stop.  A very good copy in stapled wrappers. Uncommon.

$250.00

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