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Pascin #1-6
Pascin
Pascin, a biography of the noted Jewish modernist painter (Julius Mordecai Pincas, known as Pascin, March 31, 1885–June 5, 1930), is Joann Sfar's most personal and important work. Pascin is portrayed by Sfar both as a kindred spirit and an aesthetic revolutionary struggling to redefine an art form. Sfar revels in the artist's celebration of all things corporeal in the world of art. Though the story is drenched in sex, it is never eroticized. Created in a direct and immediate drawing style, Sfar focuses more on the artist's personal and sexual life than on his art, and brings Pascin to life as the ultimate bohemian.
Joann Sfar is considered one of the most important artists of the new wave of European comics. He is the author and artist on a great number of acclaimed graphic novels including The Rabbi's Cat, Klezmer: Tales of the Wild East, Vampire Loves, and Dungeon. He wrote and directed Gainsbourg: Une Vie Heroique, the biopic of the illustrious French songwriter and singer. The film was released in 2010 to international acclaim.
Joann Sfar is considered one of the most important artists of the new wave of European comics. He is the author and artist on a great number of acclaimed graphic novels including The Rabbi's Cat, Klezmer: Tales of the Wild East, Vampire Loves, and Dungeon. He wrote and directed Gainsbourg: Une Vie Heroique, the biopic of the illustrious French songwriter and singer. The film was released in 2010 to international acclaim.
200 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2005
About the author
Joann Sfar
498 books512 followersJoann Sfar (born August 28, 1971 in Nice) is a French comics artist, comic book creator, and film director.
Sfar is considered one of the most important artists of the new wave of Franco-Belgian comics. Many of his comics were published by L'Association which was founded in 1990 by Jean-Christophe Menu and six other artists. He also worked together with many of the new movement's main artists, e.g. David B. and Lewis Trondheim. The Donjon series which he created with Trondheim has a cult following in many countries.
Some of his comics are inspired by his Jewish heritage as the son of Jewish parents (an Ashkenazi mother and a Sephardic father). He himself says that there is Ashkenazi humor in his Professeur Bell series (loosely based on Joseph Bell), whereas Le chat du rabbin is clearly inspired by his Sephardic side. Les olives noires is a series about a Jewish child in Israel at the time of Jesus. Like Le chat du rabbin, the series contains a lot of historical and theological information.
His main influences are Fred and André Franquin as well as Marc Chagall, Chaim Soutine, Will Eisner, Hugo Pratt and John Buscema.
From 2009 to 2010, Sfar wrote and directed 'Serge Gainsbourgh: Une Vie Heroique', a biopic of the notorious French songwriter, of whom Sfar is a self-confessed fanatic. The film, which draws substantially on Sfar's abilities as a comic book artist through its extensive use of fantasy artwork, animation and puppetry, was released in 2010 to general critical acclaim.
Sfar is considered one of the most important artists of the new wave of Franco-Belgian comics. Many of his comics were published by L'Association which was founded in 1990 by Jean-Christophe Menu and six other artists. He also worked together with many of the new movement's main artists, e.g. David B. and Lewis Trondheim. The Donjon series which he created with Trondheim has a cult following in many countries.
Some of his comics are inspired by his Jewish heritage as the son of Jewish parents (an Ashkenazi mother and a Sephardic father). He himself says that there is Ashkenazi humor in his Professeur Bell series (loosely based on Joseph Bell), whereas Le chat du rabbin is clearly inspired by his Sephardic side. Les olives noires is a series about a Jewish child in Israel at the time of Jesus. Like Le chat du rabbin, the series contains a lot of historical and theological information.
His main influences are Fred and André Franquin as well as Marc Chagall, Chaim Soutine, Will Eisner, Hugo Pratt and John Buscema.
From 2009 to 2010, Sfar wrote and directed 'Serge Gainsbourgh: Une Vie Heroique', a biopic of the notorious French songwriter, of whom Sfar is a self-confessed fanatic. The film, which draws substantially on Sfar's abilities as a comic book artist through its extensive use of fantasy artwork, animation and puppetry, was released in 2010 to general critical acclaim.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
December 12, 2018
A madhouse. A romp through gay (& straight) ol Paris! Ah, Paris. What else can be said about the bohemian artistes inhabiting Montmatre? They were the coolest most artistic and unapologetic bunch. And the sex? Oh la-laaaaa.
The blots & lines of the art & graphics shouldn't be missed.
The blots & lines of the art & graphics shouldn't be missed.
August 20, 2016
Pascin was an artist living in France around the same time period as Marc Chagall, Chaim Soutine and Ernest Hemingway among others. Until reading this book, I'd never heard of him, which is unusual since I'm generally familiar with 20th century art from years of reading about it. I can only conjecture that he's one of those artists who, for one reason or another, is famous within a particular school (i.e. Cubism, Surrealism, Futurism, etc.) but not outside of it, kind of like one tends not to hear much about Paul Delveaux or Yves Tanguy in general art history texts, but quite a bit about both in books on Surrealism in particular. It may just be that I haven't gone in-depth enough yet in that particular era to encounter Pascin.
In any case, he appears to have been quite a rascal, "the ultimate bohemian, " as the back cover puts it. He drinks, he gets into fights, he fornicates with either sex ... This is not a book for the little ones. At the same time, there's a zest for life and a general kindness towards others that also seems to have been part of his character. He seems to have taken great delight in being called a pervert. At the very least, he's entertaining to read about, though knowing him in person must have been exhausting.
Sfar's drawing style for this seems a bit looser than normal. Whether this was intentional on his part, or simply a natural evolution, I'm not sure. As usual, it appears effortlessly spontaneous, lively, and charming. I'm always delighted to read anything Sfar has worked on.
In any case, he appears to have been quite a rascal, "the ultimate bohemian, " as the back cover puts it. He drinks, he gets into fights, he fornicates with either sex ... This is not a book for the little ones. At the same time, there's a zest for life and a general kindness towards others that also seems to have been part of his character. He seems to have taken great delight in being called a pervert. At the very least, he's entertaining to read about, though knowing him in person must have been exhausting.
Sfar's drawing style for this seems a bit looser than normal. Whether this was intentional on his part, or simply a natural evolution, I'm not sure. As usual, it appears effortlessly spontaneous, lively, and charming. I'm always delighted to read anything Sfar has worked on.
November 10, 2017
Not really my cup of tea. It's the reading equivalent of watching a strange arthouse movie about teenagers who just want to have disjointed conversations and bone. Plots meander meaninglessly - all that matters is that Pascin and all his friends are profound, proud perverts. I can see how the art and the manner of storytelling would be appealing to fans of surreal graphic art, but I really would have just preferred a straight biography.
January 15, 2018
A truly wonderful and subversive glimpse into the life of 1920s French Bohemia. This is mature subject matter, as in sexually charged, and not suitable for kids. I loved the wildly erotic portrayals of painters, authors, artists as they commingled in a sweeping series of scenes across Paris. The art is incredible. I am fortunate to have discovered this Franco-Belgian artist on the always great Uncivilized Books.
July 4, 2021
Joann Sfar is one of my favorite graphic novelists, I'm a huge fan of just about everything he has written but especially The Rabbi's Cat, The Little Vampire, and Sardine in Outer Space. I've read most everything of his that is available in English except Dungeon: Zenith - Vol. 1: Duck Heart and, until now, this. I love his artwork, humor, the strange worlds he creates, and the worlds he brings back to life.
I only liked Pascin. It is a quasi-biographical story of an artist I had never heard of Pascin (Julius Mordecai Pincas), a Bulgarian Jew who moved to Paris in 1905 and was part of the "Montparnasse Circle" that included Marc Chagall. Much of the book is about his relationship to prostitutes (starting with money he stole from his father as a child), nude models, and its relationship to his art. None of it makes the art seem particularly edifying.
The artwork did not have the style I love from his later (I think) books, nothing in this had much of a sense of humor, and the depravity of all of it was a bit tiresome. Still glad I read it just not where I would suggest anyone start if they haven't read Sfar before.
I only liked Pascin. It is a quasi-biographical story of an artist I had never heard of Pascin (Julius Mordecai Pincas), a Bulgarian Jew who moved to Paris in 1905 and was part of the "Montparnasse Circle" that included Marc Chagall. Much of the book is about his relationship to prostitutes (starting with money he stole from his father as a child), nude models, and its relationship to his art. None of it makes the art seem particularly edifying.
The artwork did not have the style I love from his later (I think) books, nothing in this had much of a sense of humor, and the depravity of all of it was a bit tiresome. Still glad I read it just not where I would suggest anyone start if they haven't read Sfar before.
September 29, 2017
Brilliant panel! There's one panel in this book that I really like. I'd seen it in an old copy of Lapin, years ago. It's just some lovely brush work. I don't remember exactly what page it's on, but it's really good.
August 4, 2013
Joan Sfar offers his best with an ambitious graphic novel biography of Jewish painter Pascin, who was influential in the Paris visual arts scene in the beginning of the 20th century. Sfar's artwork looks uncharacteristically ugly at first glance, but the style is perfect for this nuanced and vibrant tale.
Pascin comes across as a true intellectual, revolutionary and a bohemian. Emotional, analytical, polygamous and bisexual, the figure is opened through his character and his intimate life, but through that gateway Sfar taps into the wonderous creativity of that wild, confident but in his own way unusually observant and empathic personality.
"Pascin" is an enchanting masterpiece of biographical storytelling. Factually fascinating and artistically accoplished, this work makes bold cultural and societal statement through oddly beautiful aesthetics, in a way that yet again demonstrates Sfar's unique talent.
Pascin comes across as a true intellectual, revolutionary and a bohemian. Emotional, analytical, polygamous and bisexual, the figure is opened through his character and his intimate life, but through that gateway Sfar taps into the wonderous creativity of that wild, confident but in his own way unusually observant and empathic personality.
"Pascin" is an enchanting masterpiece of biographical storytelling. Factually fascinating and artistically accoplished, this work makes bold cultural and societal statement through oddly beautiful aesthetics, in a way that yet again demonstrates Sfar's unique talent.
August 10, 2018
This story of ONLY his personal and sex life reveals far more of who the man was than the typical paraphrased biography. The stories within show a man and his cast of friends who were no less than FASCINATING; the specificity of characters especially Pascin deserves praise above all else! The reader gets an authentic feel of the Paris that he associated with in the first quarter of the 20th century.
The art is "smudgy" but for good reason and certainly the best to present the stories. One story really stands out as if he gave it to Frank Miller to draw then goes back to the main style.
This is a book for "mature" eyes and sensibilities with cover to cover nudity and sex action that is all appropriate and MANDATORY for the viewpoint of a sex saturated artist who painted nude models.
The art is "smudgy" but for good reason and certainly the best to present the stories. One story really stands out as if he gave it to Frank Miller to draw then goes back to the main style.
This is a book for "mature" eyes and sensibilities with cover to cover nudity and sex action that is all appropriate and MANDATORY for the viewpoint of a sex saturated artist who painted nude models.
December 4, 2023
A confounding gift of a book, seemingly aimless and inconclusive but also potent and memorable. Gorgeously drawn, it is in fact about drawing: as erotic, as possessive, as an act of aggression — as so many different things. The world of the artist Pascin comes to life in drawing that wavers between sloppiness and elegance, put to paper with such rawness and power that it's hard to believe. Another startling, wholly unpredictable work by Sfar: profane, saucy and sexual in the extreme, and rank with atmosphere, and wild. Loosely jointed, and lacking a very determined plot, but a cool comic anyway.
January 11, 2013
Me gusta cuando los autores franceses se ponen a hacer historietas-ensayos donde mezclan una historia interesante (en este caso, una versión libre -o una suposición- de cómo podría haber sido la vida del pintor Julius Pinkas), personajes queribles a su modo, y mucha pero mucha experimentación gráfica. Por lo poco que he leído de Sfar, él lo hace muy seguido y muy bien. Cuando pueda, cierro el ciclo con La Java Bleue.
June 26, 2017
This is comics about Parisian artists and writers that are sort-of in the style of the artists, both in the drawing style and in the willingness to focus on prurient topics. This would have been totally awesome to find in a public library when I was younger (I did check it out from the public library now... but I'm old now).
September 29, 2017
This was... quite something. I'm not a prude but I was pleased that the later sections become less, ah, single-minded.
May 20, 2018
I really wanted to like this, and if I was rating this book based on the artwork, it'd be a 5/5.
But as a graphic novel, the "novel" bit was nigh-impossible to follow.
But as a graphic novel, the "novel" bit was nigh-impossible to follow.
December 12, 2020
Bil je srečen, ker je imel okrog sebe vse te ljudi, ki pa niso bili le pošteni, ampak tudi barabe, naprimer. Všeč mu je bilo, da je imel tako različne ljudi za prijatelje.
May 18, 2025
Sfar is truly a versatile artist and storyteller. The subject here was less interesting to me but I appreciate Sfar’s approach and technique.
March 4, 2017
Les dessins de Sfar c'est délicieux, et l'on croise dans cette histoire quelques uns des peintres que j'aime, Soutine et Kokoschka, que demande le peuple ?
January 16, 2017
My short review:
I was surprised to see this book by Joann Sfar since it doesn't look so much like his regular books typically for children. This book is for adults and he did it in the late 90's. Very very rough especially in the beginning. It seems he did it over a longer stretch of time and possibly in his sketch book since he signs and dates some of the pages much like you would when you draw in it. I found the beginning and middle to be very intriguing. It's about the life of an artist and his obsession with capturing women he has sex with on paper, but usually his drawings are what excites him the most. He lives the typical life of an artist in Europe (France) and is constantly trying to sleep around with many women (even a teenager). I haven't researched the artist, but I imagine this is a biography of a real artist. I've never heard of him. I have heard of other artists in the book the Pascin talks to and interacts with. I think toward the end you feel sorry for the guy and his escapades with women (and men). I think the ending feels flat and you get tired of his routine, but there is a overall quality I enjoyed in the storytelling which Sfar is very gifted in. It was a nice surprise to see this book published by Uncivilized Book from Minneapolis where I lived for some time.
I was surprised to see this book by Joann Sfar since it doesn't look so much like his regular books typically for children. This book is for adults and he did it in the late 90's. Very very rough especially in the beginning. It seems he did it over a longer stretch of time and possibly in his sketch book since he signs and dates some of the pages much like you would when you draw in it. I found the beginning and middle to be very intriguing. It's about the life of an artist and his obsession with capturing women he has sex with on paper, but usually his drawings are what excites him the most. He lives the typical life of an artist in Europe (France) and is constantly trying to sleep around with many women (even a teenager). I haven't researched the artist, but I imagine this is a biography of a real artist. I've never heard of him. I have heard of other artists in the book the Pascin talks to and interacts with. I think toward the end you feel sorry for the guy and his escapades with women (and men). I think the ending feels flat and you get tired of his routine, but there is a overall quality I enjoyed in the storytelling which Sfar is very gifted in. It was a nice surprise to see this book published by Uncivilized Book from Minneapolis where I lived for some time.
Read
August 29, 2016"Through a series of vignettes depicting the personal life and sexual escapades of Julius Mordecai Pincas (Pascin), French cartoonist Joann Sfar presents a rumination on both the life of the artist and the nature of sex in relation to the artistic creative processes." - D. Emerson Eddy
This book was reviewed in the September/October 2016 issue of World Literature Today magazine. Read the full review by visiting our website:
http://www.worldliteraturetoday.org/2...
This book was reviewed in the September/October 2016 issue of World Literature Today magazine. Read the full review by visiting our website:
http://www.worldliteraturetoday.org/2...
June 7, 2016
I love Sfar's work, and I've been anticipating this release for some time. I recently interviewed the translator of this text, Edward Gauvin, for the Comics Alternative: http://comicsalternative.com/comics-a....
April 4, 2015
Periaatteessa mielenkiintoinen ja ansiokas sarjakuva mielenkiintoisesta aiheesta. Ei kuitenkaan erityisemmin sykähdyttänyt. Sfarin muita suomennettuja voin kyllä lämpimästi suositella.
November 16, 2014
komiksový avantgardy.
děvky, chlast a penisy.
a umění samozřejmě, to taky.
děvky, chlast a penisy.
a umění samozřejmě, to taky.
Read
February 5, 2017I loved this! "Pascin" is a brave, louche little book with extraordinarily pure and cinematic graphics. Now gotta dig into some Sfar.
Read
June 17, 2017A fan of Rabbi's Cat but not this. Maybe if you are obsessed with Jewish artists of bohemian Paris.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews