Through the Eyes of Franz Kafka

The latest book by Nicholas Sawicki delves into the iconic author’s interest in the visual arts

The German-speaking Jewish author Franz Kafka is considered by many to be one of the great 20^th century writers. His prominence is so significant that we sometimes even use his name as an adjective. His work has influenced many 20^th century writers and has been the focus of many literary scholars. Perhaps less well known is that Kafka was also a prolific artist, and on the 100^th anniversary of his death last year, his sketches, drawings, and interest in modern art are the subject of a new book co-edited by art historian Nicholas Sawicki.

Co-edited with Marie Rakušanová, an art historian at Charles University in Prague, Through the Eyes of Franz Kafka: Between Image and Language follows Kafka’s interest in art and explores the variety of images that surrounded Kafka in his home city of Prague, as well as the drawings that Kafka produced in his lifetime. The book accompanies an exhibition that opened in June and was curated by Rakušanová.

Read the full story on the College of Arts and Sciences News.