Matúš Hnát Designs Collage Cover for Slovak Edition of Péter Esterházy’s The Glance of Countess Hahn-Hahn
Designer Matúš Hnát, based in Bratislava, crafted the cover for the Slovak version of Péter Esterházy’s novel The Glance of Countess Hahn-Hahn, released by the independent publisher BRAK. Originally published in 1990, the story chronicles a hired traveler’s journey from the Danube’s source to its delta at the Black Sea. The title alludes to Heinrich Heine’s observation that female authors keep one eye on their writing and the other on men—except for Countess Hahn-Hahn, who had just one eye. Hnát’s design features a vibrant color-blocked collage of river-themed elements, with a linen-textured front board in various hues. The project can be explored on Behance.
Key facts
- Matúš Hnát designed the cover for the Slovak edition of Péter Esterházy’s The Glance of Countess Hahn-Hahn.
- The book is published by independent Slovak press BRAK.
- The novel was first published in 1990 and follows a traveler along the Danube from source to delta.
- The title alludes to Heinrich Heine’s quip about Countess Hahn-Hahn having only one eye.
- Hnát used InDesign and Illustrator to create a color-blocked collage with yellow, cyan, slate green, orange, and cobalt blue zones.
- The cover includes a red speech-drop badge referencing Maggi soup labels and a rubber stamp crediting translator Renata Deáková.
- The Slovak title Pohľad grófky Hahn-Hahn appears in lilac-pink and crimson condensed grotesk type.
- Gatefold flaps feature a Dolu Dunajom riverboat seal and wave-stripe patterns.
Entities
Artists
- Matúš Hnát
- Péter Esterházy
- Renata Deáková
- Heinrich Heine
Institutions
- BRAK
Locations
- Bratislava
- Slovakia
- Danube
- Black Sea