Illustration to Voltaire, "La Princesse de Babilone" 1941

This is Imre Reiner’s illustration to Voltaire’s “La Princesse de Babilone”, and I can only imagine what it might have been like to make this. Look at the frenetic energy of the lines, scratchy and full of verve, it looks like he barely touched the surface, the whole thing is caught in transit. I love that nervous mark-making, it’s like he’s channeling some kind of chaotic energy. You know, sometimes when I'm making my own paintings, I feel like I'm wrestling with the image, trying to pin it down, but it keeps slipping away. I imagine Reiner felt the same way! I mean, this illustration has a sense of urgency, as if he wanted to capture the essence of Voltaire's story in a single, dynamic gesture. It really reminds me of other painters who love gesture and motion. It’s all one big conversation, don’t you think? For me, painting is not about control, it’s about embracing the unknown and trusting that something meaningful will emerge.