AND ON THE EIGHTH DAY

by A bnerDean '31. Simon and Schuster; 1949; 111pages; $2.95.

A sensitive and serious man presents in disturbingly clear images his thoughts on this sad and wonderful world. Abner Dean continues his astounding series of philosophic drawings so ably begun in his earlier books, It's a Long Way to Heaven, and WhatAm I Doing Here? This new book, Andon the Eighth Day, entertains and enlightens me simultaneously. It is not a "funny" book and should not be taken up for "laughs." But for that larger pleasure of insight and revelation, it is a warm and joyous experience.

The thoughts which Mr. Dean presents concern the attitudes, the posturings, the introspections of men and women in a world that is not Eden. His titles will give some indication: "On a clear day the view is awful," "I wish it were more comfortable," "Bad planning did it," "I'm supposed to meet a girl with the other part of the answer"; but the pictures speak their own vigorous language and should not be translated into halting words. The lines and shading form images of naked people in all sorts of fantastic settings and situations. They are symbols of you and me in our dance of life, and it is the quality of rhythmic movement that makes these drawings so effectively stimulating to both the eye and the mind.

This type of philosophical fantasy is an important branch of contemporary art and a significant witness of the romantic age through which we are passing. It has roots in the drawings of old masters like Jerome Bosch and William Blake and it stems directly from moderns like Picasso and Klee. Thurber, Steinberg, Steig, Partch, and Dean are all able exponents of this way of expression, a humorous and creative art which compensates in part for the chaos of the Eighth Day.