Cola Bruñon

The story of R. Rolland "Cola Bruñon" is one of the masterpieces of French literature of the 20th century. In a cheerful Gallic manner, the book tells of a never-sorrowful jester and joker from the town of Clamsi, who possesses... a rare gift of enjoying everything he does. Thanks to the brilliant translation by Mikhail Lozinsky (completed in 1932), this foreign work about a "good worker, an excellent carpenter, a great hunter" has become an organic phenomenon of Russian literature, without distorting its national content. This translation has gained a reputation as classic and even "absolute".
Illustrations by Savva Brodsky in the style of medieval theatrical presentations mimic colored etchings. They convey both the free Gallic spirit and the broad, restless nature of the hero, as well as the intelligent, enamored gaze of the writer who created one of the most colorful characters in world literature. The artist adheres to his principle: to thoroughly study the history, time, environment, customs and, without imposing his own interpretation of the images, help the reader feel the emotional essence of the text.