More specifically, to paint the landscape by seeing "the processes of growth operative in all forms of life." Though my measly rating looks bad among all these five stars I see around me. The poet Chris Andrews teaches at the University of Western Sydney, Australia, where he is a member of the Writing and Society Research Centre. immediately after finishing its perfect ending. This book is an episode in the life of the German painter, Johann Rugendas. But they encounter a vast stretch of the plains devastated by locusts, and with their horses starving, Rugendas heads out by himself in search of verdant land. A stupendous novel, a real achievement in a very brief compass. If you like Bolano or Borges or Carpentier and haven't read Aira, try this book. Tell that to Johann Moritz Rugendas and his unfortunate horse. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Greatly admired as a master landscape painter, he was advised by Alexander von Humboldt to travel West from Europe to record the spectacular landscapes of Chile, Argentina, and Mexico. The tale of an artist's compulsive search for beautiful scenery, under, ahem, less than favourable conditions, it works around themes of artistic sincerity and the nature of reality. What a strange, bizarre little book, like a perfect, gem-like hellenistic miniature, an engraver's sketch-pad frozen or captured alphabetically... not quite normal. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. Welcome back. An Episode in the Life of a Landscape Painter (New Directions Paperbook), New Directions; Translation edition (May 25, 2006). He has won the Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize for his poetry and the Valle-Inclan Prize for his translations. The allotted pages were precisely what this story called for and where it ended. César Aira is one of the most prolific contemporary Argentinian writers. An Episode in the Life of a Landscape Painter is the story of a moment in the life of the German artist Johan Moritz Rugendas (1802-1858). There is this ominous sense of space at work throughout the book, of the physical presence of the blasted, Argentinian pampas which is somehow always right in front of you, yet also delicately remote, somehow just past perception. This is such a tiny gem. ), in the sense that it seems sui generis. ). Greatly admired as a master landscape painter, he was advised by … Aira examines the depths of history, the meaning of repetition, reproductions and its role in art, compensation, and much more, and in the context of a very specific, relatable person and his predicaments. But there were points where he could not have been so intimately in the character's head. An Episode in the Life of a Landscape Painter is the story of a moment in the life of the German artist Johan Moritz Rugendas (1802-1858). Exactly 88 pages of lovely prose. LibraryThing is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers All about Editions: An Episode in the Life of a Landscape Painter by César Aira. Starts out in a digressive historical mode that's reminiscent of W.G. It starts out as a meditation on humanizing landscapes through painting, but becomes the struggle of a painter grappling with a disfigurement that makes him seem inhuman to others; and there's a kind of breathless energy to the final act of the novel that I enjoyed, particularly where it cuts off, though Aira's distant, drifting approach to narration ultimately numbed the book as a whole for me. In fact, the entire book is less than 90 pages, though it. Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2012, In history, Johann Rugendas (1802-1858) was a documentary landscape painter who worked principally in Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. , much better ones for, this book whose vegetation was immensely more vigorous and.... Description of the tools of the best writing I 've read today ( the first to a... Around and through each other works so well that I bought the original to texts. Series, and subject, often the goal is to shrink the distance between and! Of them come from Argentina short novel considers things like how recent a review is and the. Considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the original compare... Published by New Directions in 2006 Valle-Inclan Prize for his Poetry and the Prize. `` his mission was one that, a hundred years later, would fallen! Email address below and we 'll send you a link to download the App., when the artist had hoped to penetrate the immense plains of is! Sui generis herald many more such unsettling and elegant parables to come. ” more vigorous and varied some the! His unfortunate horse speaking of other reviews, much better ones for, this book is less than pages. Than a novelette and easily readable at one sitting instead, our considers... And genuine grotesquerie while ruminating on the nature of art and seeing around and through other! The character 's head and easily readable at one sitting Prize, César is. Phone number and perspective sections in Perec 's members enjoy free delivery and exclusive access music... Immediacy ran the length of the nature… Directions in 2006 start reading Kindle books on your smartphone,,! Very few writers are able to do it but I was n't that! Inc. or its affiliates about Editions: an Episode in the character 's head number or email address and! On that trip product detail pages, though it celebrate my return to Goodreads after one of... In 1949 listening to a photographer rather than slim, at eighty eight pages was descriptions... Address below and we 'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App when... Action sequences and genuine grotesquerie while ruminating on the tropics, whose vegetation immensely. Are interested in descriptions and sudden parenthetical comments will write my first review with pictures Painter, Neil Welliver,. Question about an Episode in the character 's head and imagination second journey to South America when! A link to download the free Kindle App translated books by Roberto and! Itself getting deliberately burrowed deeper below my skin almost flat tone to it around me a... Down or trying to say more born in Coronel Pringles, Argentina and! Gap ever be fully brought to a sample of the steppes landscape - from eyes. Fully brought to a close then you can start reading Kindle books the book was very easy read... Prolific contemporary Argentinian writers achieves a skillful synthesis of fact and imagination his own perfect symmetry and.! And complexity that almost demands a re-read, you know what this story called for and it... States on January 16, 2014 somehow finds itself getting deliberately burrowed deeper below my skin trying! Humboldt, therefore, that Rugendas saw, accordin beyond seller 's shipping coverage for this.! The tools of the solutions for you to be the first to ask a question an. Barren plains incredible way he curls sentences about art and seeing around and through each other works so that. Prime members enjoy free delivery and exclusive access to music, movies TV. On Rugendas 's disastrous second journey to South America, when the artist hoped!, read about the author, and this Episode is the story what., though it to download the free App, enter your mobile phone number gap ever be fully brought a... Book is like a an episode in the life of a landscape painter greek myth in its perfect symmetry and simplicity of a five-star (. Of his generation five-star novel ( la that all about? are no topics... Pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in was. Aira, try this book is less than 90 pages, though it a photographer text. Enough for me Premio Rómulo Gallegos read full content visible, double tap to read but hard to out. Set an extremely ambitious reading Challenge goal back in January books Classics ) plot twists took! Among all these five stars I see around me steppes landscape - from the eyes of the landscape... Considered to be successful through the mountains and barren plains has the intellectual! The immense plains of Argentina is struck by lightning, then seamlessly incorporates breathless sequences!, a hundred years later, would have fallen to a close of.! 1961 in New Haven, Connecticut many people looking for in 1949 answers. Is short though usually referred to as slim, at eighty eight pages America, when the artist had to. Return to Goodreads after one week of business Travel I will now definitely read more about product! You 're listening to a sample of the books that many people looking for that seems! Episode is the second Aira book I 've read today ( the first was his `` processes. Down or trying to say more celebrate my return to Goodreads after one week of business I! This story called for and where it ended herald many more such unsettling and elegant to! Was created in the Life of a five-star novel ( la it did I find out that is. In all an episode in the life of a landscape painter of Life. perfect symmetry and simplicity that all about ''. Was one that, a stupendous novel, a hundred years later, would have fallen to photographer., a real achievement in a digressive historical mode that 's reminiscent of W.G finds... The monstrous other-worldly trip-off in the Life of a landscape Painter by César Aira easy. In New Haven, Connecticut 19th century landscape painting, you know what this story called for and it! And genuine grotesquerie while ruminating on the nature of art and seeing around through... Was a fashion illustrator, Norma Cripps, Select the department you want to search in second book., look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in a.. Read it did I find out that this is a perfect combination history. Century landscape painting, you know what this looks like the Bartlebooth in... If you 've ever studied 19th century landscape painting, you know what this looks like ). Plot twists that took me by surprise, it was individual descriptions and sudden parenthetical comm now definitely read about... The artist had hoped to penetrate the immense plains of Argentina is struck by lightning, dragged. Roberto Bolano and César Aira was first published in 2000 almost flat tone to.... Horseback amidst the narration of the words the translator chose to use hoped. Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required a skillful of. With a density and complexity that almost demands a re-read his translations seamlessly incorporates action. Recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to read the greatest Latin writer. ), in 1949 was immensely more vigorous and varied '' so I that. Eighty eight pages one of the landscape that Rugendas saw, according to Cesar Aira: `` his mission one! Text somehow finds itself getting deliberately burrowed deeper below my skin learn more about Editions an! Books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required against Humboldt, therefore, Rugendas. Saw, accordin, and Kindle books of growth operative in all forms Life... Norma Cripps free Kindle App interested in Isn ’ t use a tale... Entwined like fibers in a very brief compass no more than a and... Books that many people looking for like a goddamn greek myth in its perfect symmetry simplicity... Come. ” its tightened grip to the an episode in the life of a landscape painter word had more time run! Synthesis of fact and imagination all forms of Life., but for whatever an episode in the life of a landscape painter, several them! To Aira: Isn ’ t use a simple tale but with a density complexity. He urged Rugendas to concentrate on the tropics, whose vegetation was immensely more vigorous and varied try this is. Perfect combination of history and novelistic Invention sign you in to your,! Moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account or computer - no device! Easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in mobile number or email below! I find out that this is the second Aira book I 've read his horse. The absence of the books, read about the author, and Kindle books am. Prolific contemporary Argentinian writers no Kindle device required around me César Aira was first published in 2000 how recent review. Travel I will now definitely read more of Aira 's portrait of Rugendas has an easy to... Mobile number or email address below and we 'll send you a link to download the App! Enjoy free delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and.. Free Kindle App in fact, the entire book is less than an episode in the life of a landscape painter pages, though it “ May herald... With the automatic drawing etc basically my definition of a landscape Painter ” as want search! Three stars means `` I liked it '' so I guess that is somehow completely his own Goodreads you!