Devil in Design: Krampus by Monte Beauchamp

Krampus

by Monte Beauchamp

A collection of vintage Christmas cards for very bad little girls and boys. The Devil in Design is a fascinating, full-color compendium of extremely rare, late 19th and early 20th-century Krampus postcards culled from key postcard collections from around the world. Lavishly illustrated with over a 150 striking and stylized full-page examples, the book also includes a short introduction tracing the character's origin and its overwhelming popularity throughout Europe. In the Christmas traditions of Europe, the Krampus is Saint Nicholas's dark servant—a hairy, horned, supernatural beast whose pointed ears and long slithering tongue gave misbehavers the creeps! Whereas Saint Nicholas would reward children who had been good all year with treats, those that had been disobedient were paid a visit by the Krampus. The Krampus terrorized the bad until they promised to be good. Some he'd spank; others he'd whip, while others he'd shackle, stuff into his large wooden basket, and then hurl into the flames of Hell! Such scenarios were delineated by skilled and imaginative Old World craftsmen, printed on penny postcards and disseminated throughout Europe.The Devil in Design is the first English-language book to offer this breathtaking collection of the finest, rarest, and most visually-stunning Krampus cards history has left to offer. 168 pages full-color illustrations.

Genres: Art, Folklore, Christmas

Mass Market Paperback

First published May 31, 2004

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Krampus is an interesting concept that originated in Germany. He is a demonic creature who "helps" Saint Nikolaus. While St. Nick brings toys and candy to good, children, the Krampus brings switches and whips the bad children and sometimes even carries them to Hell.

Other than some background info, there is not much actual reading to be done in this book, but it is a wonderful (some would say horrific) collection of postcard images from the early 20th century. Great stuff!

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gives you the history of the devil image and is chock full of cool old devil postcards. The devil lives!

[Erika Mulvenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creepy and cool.