February 22 – Happy Birthday, Edward Gorey

nPostednon February 22, 2014

nThenblack-and-white illustrations by Edward Gorey are at times…well,ngory! And weird. And creepy.

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nWhatncan you say about a snail-fish on a sofa?
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nOrna skeleton man shielding a whole bunch of tiny kids with a bat-wingnumbrella?

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nWhatnabout an alligator saying “Ho!” to two kids on a bicycle?
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nThenweird world of Gorey was created in the 1900s but seems to be set innthe 1800s. It was created by an American who only traveled overseasnonce, but it seems to be set in Britain. It’s a place where, I think,nTim Burton (of “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “EdwardnScissorhands” fame) would feel right at home.

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nAlso,nit’s a place that is way too disturbing for some children, but thatnappeals to many of them. Edward Gorey himself didn’t know much aboutnkids, or particularly like them. He was a bit of a hermit, actually;nhe never had a family, and when he died, he left his money to ancharitable trust that helps cats, dogs, bats, and insects!

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nDidnyou know…?

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n Somen people call Gorey’s art gothic. Most say that it isn surrealist. He himself called it literary nonsense, like the worksn of Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear.

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nOnen time Edward Gorey was asked who his favorite artists were. He didn’tn talk much about other illustrators, as I expected he would. Instead,n he talked about authors whose books I love, like Jane Austen andn Agatha Christie,n andnhe talked about choreographer George Balanchine.

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