This third edition of Le Pater by Thomas Negovan is a piece of history for any collector. What Negovan and Century Guild have created is not simply a reproduction, but a resurrection. Each plate has been individually photographed from the original works using museum-grade imaging, revealing extraordinary clarity and tonal depth—like standing quietly before the originals themselves. The book’s scale, matching the original dimensions, along with its thick, substantial paper, invites slow, deliberate viewing. The details elevate it further. The glow-in-the-dark cover feels almost ceremonial, echoing the mysticism woven throughout the work. Originally created in 1899 by Alphonse Mucha, Le Pater was his deeply personal interpretation of the Lord’s Prayer—printed in just 510 copies and considered by Mucha to be the work into which he “put his soul.” It merges spirituality, symbolism, and esoteric philosophy, making it one of the most intimate achievements of the Art Nouveau movement.
Ever since I was a young kid I have always been interested in witchcraft. Probably influenced by the television program, "Bewitched", witches and sorceries fueled my imagination. Growing uo in the 1970s the occult was all around me. Ouija Boards, tarot cards, and books from the library were fascinating. Although I wasn't exposed to these paperback books featured in "Spell Bound" I knew that I had to purchase this beautiful book from Century Guild and have a peek into this history. I have so much high praise for this volume of standout images from these pulp paperbacks. I love the sensual collection of images, especially those that coupled sin and sex! I can imagine devouring these titles in my youth. I couldn't because I was much too young and my parents were quite conservative in their views. I really don't blame them because even though I expressed an interest in the occult, I was a big fraidy cat. Now that I'm older, it's so great to "experience" these magical images in this context!
Thomas Negovan is a tremendous author and artist himself. The presentation is gorgeous while the commentary is astute and scholarly. His intelligence and passion for the subject made it a terrific read. I love the mentions of "Man, Myth, and Magic" and the discussion of Paul Huson's "Mastering Witchcraft" of which I have the paperback from 1980 in my collection. I so didn't want the book to end because it is an awesome compilation of rare images. I certainly wish I had collected some of the books with the sexy covers. They would have been quite useful to my adolescent pursuit of auto-erotic pleasure.
I'm so looking forward to Mr. Negovan's next book, "Binding the Devil" of which I pledged today on Kickstarter!
When I saw there was a book concerning macabre art, I was immediately drawn in. This tome more than met my expectations. Glorious dark artwork that's magnificent and stunning with incredible, haunting images! I can't praise this work enough!!
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