Bezette stad.
**Bezette stad** (**Occupied City**) by Paul van Ostaijen (1921) is an absolute pivotal work in the history of modern Flemish poetry and typographical experimentation. This volume, published by Sienjaal in Antwerp, is a peak of typographical expressionism and a powerful example of the seamless merger of text and image. The collaboration with artist Oskar Jespers resulted in a visually explosive whole. This rare book is not merely a collection of poems but a total **work of art** capturing the political and artistic unrest of the post-war period. Its unique layout and Dadaist-inspired typography make it a monument to the Flemish avant-garde and an essential document of the modernist quest for new forms of expression. Jespers' expressive woodcuts and drawings reinforce the themes of occupation and disruption, elevating the poetry to another level of intensity.
Quantity
Ostaijen, Paul van
JESPERS
Bezette stad.
1921 | Antwerpen | Sienjaal
A milestone in Flemish modernist poetry and typographical experimentation.
**Bezette stad** (**Occupied City**) by Paul van Ostaijen (1921) is an absolute pivotal work in the history of modern Flemish poetry and typographical experimentation. This volume, published by Sienjaal in Antwerp, is a peak of typographical expressionism and a powerful example of the seamless merger of text and image. The collaboration with artist Oskar Jespers resulted in a visually explosive whole. This rare book is not merely a collection of poems but a total **work of art** capturing the political and artistic unrest of the post-war period. Its unique layout and Dadaist-inspired typography make it a monument to the Flemish avant-garde and an essential document of the modernist quest for new forms of expression. Jespers' expressive woodcuts and drawings reinforce the themes of occupation and disruption, elevating the poetry to another level of intensity.
€1,700
Condition Report:
In-Depth Study
References & Bibliography
Format
In-4 (Quarto) approx. 25 × 32 cm
Edition Particulars
One of the 500 copies on Vélin Registre. Without errata slip and dust jacket.
Print Run
540
Copy Number
247
Paper
Vélin Registre
Inscription
No inscription
Product DETAIL
The volume is a direct reaction to the First World War and the German occupation of Antwerp, which Van Ostaijen witnessed. The poetry employs the form of calligrams—poems where the typographical arrangement supports or depicts the meaning of the text. Thematically, the volume deals with chaos, disruption, urban life, and post-war disillusionment, rejecting classical verse in favour of a fragmented, dynamic language. The poems are imbued with social critique and a sense of alienation. The work is considered an ode to the anarchy and the revolutionary spirit sweeping across Europe. Van Ostaijen manipulates punctuation, capitalization, and white space to convey the intensity and rhythm of the occupied city.
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