Toshinobu Hamanaka: The World of Edward Gorey

2020/11/17

Edward Gorey was an American author and illustrator. He is known for representative works such as "The Gashlycrumb Tinies; or, After the Outing," which depicts the deaths of 26 children whose names each begin with a different letter of the alphabet, and "The Doubtful Guest," in which a mysterious creature appears at a manor and baffles the family.

Gorey's works are sometimes categorized with negative words like "dark" or "cruel," but their true appeal lies elsewhere. The meticulously thought-out text—utilizing rhyme and carefully selected terminology—combined with illustrations drawn with an overwhelming density of fine lines, contains an absurd and sophisticated humor that defies simple interpretation. A world full of mystery: that is the charm of Gorey.

I first discovered Gorey's work when I was a junior high school student through a piece titled "The Awdrey-Gore Legacy" published in the magazine "Hayakawa's Mystery Magazine." While the story unfolded like a classic mystery novel until the midpoint, the ending was utterly inexplicable. Despite being bewildered by this imbalance, I found myself rereading it many times and eventually became captivated.

Gorey's body of work totals in the hundreds, including books published under his own name, illustrations for other authors' works, and books for which he only designed the jacket art. Among these are private editions limited to a few hundred copies and limited editions signed by both Gorey and other authors (such as Samuel Beckett and John Updike), with collectors existing all over the world. As one of those collectors, I collect not only books but also merchandise like calendars and mugs, as well as posters and etchings.

Among my collection, what I am most proud of are the approximately 20 original drawings I own. Because the lines Gorey draws are so delicate and dense, when they are turned into printed materials like books or posters, they can become blurred or appear as solid black patches, failing to convey their true charm. Furthermore, there are still many works that have not been translated. In the future, I hope to spread the appeal of Gorey through my collection in some way.