Frans Masereel's Multifaceted Oeuvre Celebrated at Musée de l'Image d'Épinal

The Musée de l'Image d'Épinal presents 'Frans Masereel. Un art entre révolte et rêverie' from February 14 to September 20, 2026, showcasing the Belgian artist's diverse practice. Known for inventing the graphic novel in 1918 with wordless woodcut narratives, Masereel (1889–1972) also worked in drawing, animation, painting, theater, ceramics, tapestry, and stained glass. Curated by Samuel Dégardin, a leading specialist, the exhibition draws on loans from major institutions and a private collection. Masereel's early training at the École du livre de Gand and his conversion to engraving under Jules De Bruycker shaped his anarchist and anticlerical views. Moving to Paris in the 1910s, he contributed to satirical press like Le Rire. During WWI, he lived in Switzerland, producing nearly 900 drawings for La Feuille (1917–1920) condemning war. He illustrated works by Romain Rolland, Stefan Zweig, Émile Verhaeren, and classics by Hugo, Baudelaire, and Shakespeare. His wordless novels, such as '25 Images de la passion d'un homme' (1918) and 'La Ville' (1925), explore urban alienation with expressionist style akin to Fritz Lang's 'Metropolis'. Masereel collaborated on the experimental animated film 'Idée' (1932) with Berthold Bartosch, and worked on theater sets and costumes. Later, he embraced watercolor, capturing Parisian nightlife, and decorative arts including ceramics and mosaics. The exhibition traces his evolution as a total artist, merging media without boundaries.