Tales. Over four hundred and forty illustrations

Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann not only left a noticeable mark on European literature of the 19th century. This remarkable man managed to create a whole fantastic world, which is why the term «Hoffmaniad» appeared in the 21st century.
The future writer was born in Königsberg in 1776. His uncle, a lawyer, instilled in young Theodor a penchant for fantasy and mysticism. It was he who brought up the boy, whose parents divorced early. The young man showed an inclination towards art—taking lessons in painting and music, but the same uncle convinced Theodor to start studying law. Throughout most of his adult life, the writer tried to escape the hated legal profession, which, nevertheless, provided him with a livelihood.
All of Hoffmann's attempts to live by art ended in an unchanging failure. Until the end of his life, he was destined to work as a counselor at the appellate court. For many long years, Hoffmann led a double life. During the day, he dragged a boring existence as a burgher who had to attend court, while in the evenings and at night, the writer poured fantastic plots that swirled in his head onto paper. It is no coincidence that in most of Hoffmann's works, reality and mysticism are inextricably linked and merged into one; the fantastic images he created are a transformation of reality, reshaped in the artist's soul. Hoffmann's grotesque images resemble precious stones, the shine of which only emphasizes the deliberately simple setting of grounded realism. The strained existence undermined the writer's health. He passed away early, dying in 1822 at the age of 46.
All texts of the book are presented in the translations of Zinaida Andreyevna Vershinina. The collection includes the most significant works of the writer: fourteen of his novellas and stories, as well as four fairy tales: «The Nutcracker and the Mouse King», «The Sandman», «Little Zaches, Called Cinnober» and «Adventures on the Eve of New Year».
The tale «The Nutcracker» in this edition is illustrated by the drawings of the French artist of the 19th century, Charles Albert d'Arnoux. He signed his works as Bertal (an anagram of Albert's name). He was a versatile artist. d'Arnoux was passionate about engraving, was an excellent caricaturist, and became one of the first photographers in France. The other fairy tales and novellas in the collection are adorned with illustrations by another French master of the 19th century—Paul Gavarni. This pseudonym was taken by Hippolyte Guillaume Chevalier, reminiscing about the village where he spent his youth. Like d'Arnoux, he was talented in many respects: he was involved in science, was fond of ballooning, and was a wonderful caricaturist. His drawings were compared to the works of the famous Daumier.
The collection includes fourteen novellas and stories of the famous German Romantic writer Ernst Theodor Hoffmann, as well as four of his fairy tales: «The Nutcracker and the Mouse King», «The Sandman», «Little Zaches, Called Cinnober» and «Adventures on the Eve of New Year». All texts are presented in the translations of Z. A. Vershinina. The edition is adorned with illustrations by French artists of the 19th century, Paul Gavarni and Charles d'Arnoux, who wrote under the pseudonym Bertal.