Overview
This adaptation of a Chinese folktale begins with a man's dissatisfaction with his life. Weary of being a stonecutter, he becomes many things in his quest for authority, each time finding that greater power lies elsewhere. Rooted in Taoist principles, Stonecutter is a story about the nature of power and the value of accepting who you are.
Originally published in a limited, fine art edition and long out of print, this is one of Jon J Muth's most heartfelt and exquisite works, and a book he entrusted to Feiwel and Friends to reach a wide new audience.
Synopsis
For graduation or any special occasion, here is a gift book unlike any other that Jon J Muth has created.
Children's Literature
This unusual hand-size gem of a picture book has 136 unnumbered pages. The Japanese fable within is succinctly retold, one sentence per page on the left with the spare black on white illustrations across the gutter on the right. The story begins with a simple, hard-working cutter of stone blocks. His discontent with his current life leads him to envy, then become, a rich merchant, then a high official. Magic moves into the story as he keeps noticing something more powerful than he is and turning himself into that. In succession he becomes the sun, a cloud, and the wind. But as the wind he is stopped by an immovable stone, ironically faced by a stonecutter, mallet at the ready. The stark, mythic tale is visualized in forceful black ink drawings, surely influenced by Japanese brushwork. Some images are naturalistic, like those of a quartet of fish, but many are symbolic, like the twin spirals of the sun. The absence of detail compels the reader to participate in the construction of much of the story. No added color is needed; as Muth's subtle use of black on the white backgrounds evokes powerful emotions. The elegant cover has raised silver lettering and is enclosed in a narrow, parchment-like band. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz