Lynd Ward: Prelude to a Million Years Song Without Words V

Inthis,thesecondoftwovolumescollectingallhiswoodcutnovels,TheLibraryofAmericabringstogetherWard'sthreelaterbooks,twoofthembrief,thevisualequivalentofchambermusic,theotherhislongest,asymphonyinthreemovements.PreludetoaMillionYears(1933)isadarkmeditationonart,inspiration,andthedisparitybetweentheidealandthereal.SongWithoutWords(1936),aprotestagainsttheriseofEuropeanfascism,asksifoursisaworldstillfitforthehumansoul.Vertigo(1937),Ward'sundisputedmasterpiece,isanepicnovelonthethemeoftheindividualcaughtinthedownwardspiralofasinkingAmericaneconomy.Itscharactersincludeayoungviolinist,herlucklessfiancé,andanelderlybusinessmagnatewho—movingly,andwithouteverbecomingapoliticalcaricature—embodiesthesocialforcesdeterminingtheirfate.Theimagesreproducedinthisvolumearetakenfromprintspulledfromtheoriginalwoodblocksorfirst-generationelectrotypes.Ward'snovelsarepresented,forthefirsttimesincethe1930s,intheformatthattheartistintended,oneimageperright-handpage,andarefollowedbyfouressaysinwhichhediscussesthetechnicalchallengesofhiscraft.ArtSpiegelmancontributesanintroductoryessay,"ReadingPictures,"thatdefinesWard'stoweringachievementinthatmostdemandingofgraphic-storyforms,thewordlessnovelinwoodcuts.