Colouring outside the Lines:
Flemish Literature Fund, Berchem, 2006 Although young people in English speaking countries have a great advantage in the vast quantity of children’s literature published in that language, the serious downside to this is that they rarely get an opportunity to appreciate the enormous talent among children’s authors and illustrators writing in other languages. Books in English are translated far and wide, but relatively few foreign language books are translated into English. In Colouring Outside the Lines Marita Vermeulen’s survey of 22 Flemish illustrators shows us just what we are missing. She describes how their skill and creativity have enriched and expanded the world of children’s literature, as their illustrations open up the text with power and sincerity, making us think ‘outside the lines’ by their use of humour, anecdote or an element of surprise. She investigates the development of each artist’s work and shows how to read their illustrations – showing that every line and every colour has a meaning which enriches both the written text, and the reader’s understanding and enjoyment. Vermeulen begins her survey by placing Flemish language texts for children within their historical context: the development of Belgium as an autonomous state, and of Flemish as a recognized language. She describes how, although Flanders quickly became a heavily industrialized area administered by affluent French-speakers serviced by a down-trodden and Flemish working class, Flemish artists were in great demand among the ’upper’ class. As the need for books for Flemish speakers in general, and young Flemish speakers in particular, grew and was recognized, so did the market for Flemish illustrators, and new specific and sophisticated styles of illustration arose suited to literature for children. She continues by dividing the illustrators (she prefers this term to ‘artists’ as she feels illustrators are artists and craftspeople) into two groups: ten are those who use their picture books to teach young children to look carefully at themselves and their world. To do this successfully, she feels, their pictures must be believable and understandable. The second group of twelve are selected for their ability to communicate, for their authenticity and their individuality. These illustrators, she asserts “never go for safe, sweet little stories”: instead they wish to challenge and extend their audience, and to learn to unpick the pictures to extend the text. Vermeulen’s study is immensely valuable in drawing our attention to the great wealth and considerable variety of illustrative talent that has enriched Flemish children’s literature. She painstakingly examines the technique of each individual, and discusses significant individual books, picture by picture, showing how form, line, colour and layout can be read as clearly (arguably more clearly) as the printed word. The process by which she does this could be extended to illustration in the literature – child or adult – of any language, and from any era. Vermuelen emphasizes the importance of reader-response to illustrated books, and supports her views with selective primary bibliographies for each illustrator, as well as a bibliography of secondary sources. Throughout, fittingly, the text is extensively illustrated to a very high standard, and the layout of the entire book is both inviting and easily accessible to the reader. As a revelation of Flemish illustration this is a seminal text. Moreover, with its detailed examination of how to read a picture, it could fruitfully be argued that Vermeulen’s book is equally valuable for students of visual texts in general. Review
by Bridget Carrington, |