The House of the Man that Died
Collaborative Edition of 10 – Handmade Hardcovers – 2000, Handmade by David Keyes of The Royal Sarcophagus Society. Written and illustrated by Eileen Arnow-Levine. Signed and numbered by Eileen and David. Digitally printed, offset printed and mixed media (Japanese paper, ribbed black and tan paper, cottonwood text, glue, thread-hand stitched.) 5.25" x 7.25" x .125", 28 pages – $70.00 ppd.
The House of The Man That Died is a tragic variation on the classic children's book, The House That Jack Built. The house sets a Victorian backdrop revealing how a home can both nurture and destroy the lives of its inhabitants by its very existence. The story tells of the beauty and innocence of life as it is portrayed through, “the daughter in the photo on the wall.” The opposing side, the cruelty of life and the inevitability of death is portrayed through the “rats in the attic”. This dualism between the light and dark sides of life is further explored though the juxtaposition of the text’s nonsensical format against the sadness it unfolds.