The Animal Gazer by Edgardo Franzosini (128 pages, translated from Italian by Michael F. Moore, published by New Vessel Press, forthcoming January, 2018)

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The Animal Gazer by Edgardo Franzosini (translated from Italian by Michael F. Moore, published by New Vessel Press) is based on the life of the famous sculptor Rembrandt Bugatti. ( 1885 to 1916, born in Milan, his older brother founded Bugatti Automobiles.). As World War One begins to impact Milan, he moves to Brussels.  He develops an overriding passion for making bronze cast sculptures of the animals in the Brussels Zoo.  He meets the famous Rodin and begins to cast his works at the same foundry as he does.  He sculpts massive works based on very close observation of baboons, hippopotamus, big cats, deers, giraffes, and other animals not normally considered, until he did so, worthy of art, like Vultures.  We see how he develops a great empathy for the animals, especially for their captivity.  His work is based on very close intimate observation.  He loves the animals.  We see he is greatly troubled as the Germans begin to close in on Brussels. He has few close human bonds.  He can see beauty where others see only something to fear.

The close of the story reveals great depth of cruelty, terribly sad as the world of the great sculptor is destroyed.  

The Animal Gazer is a wonderful book.  From it I learned about an artistic master.  

Edgardo Franzosini, born in 1952, is the author of five novels. The Animal Gazer won two distinguished Italian literary awards in 2016, the Premio Comisso and the Premio Dessi.

Michael F. Moore has translated works by Alessandro Manzoni, Alberto Moravia and Primo Levi. Prior to becoming an interpreter at the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations, he studied sculpture at the Brera Academy in Milan.

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