Frans Masereel’s Groteskfilm is NOT a wordless story. It consists of 18 double-page drawings without words but it has no discernible story arc. Some suggest it depicts the crude beginning of the world and the vices of humans.

Often shown with the title being two words ie “Grotesk Film” presumably due, in part to how the title is depicted on the cover of the publication. However, the title would appear to be only one word ie Groteskfilm. This conclusion is based on the description in Frans Masereel: Bibliography and Catalogue by Roger Avermaete and Pierre Vorms published in 1976 by Rizzoli. The one word title is also consistent with the copyright notice in the 1996 Italian reprint of the same publication.

Front cover of Groteskfilm. Image credit: Hesse
  • Title: Groteskfilm
  • Author and Illustrator: Frans Masereel
  • Date of publication: 1921
  • Publisher: J. B. Neumann
  • Place of publication: Berlin (Note: some dealer listings over the years have also given New York as the place of publication)
  • Copyright: Artist?
  • Dimensions: 16.4 x 11 cm
  • Binding: sewn in with string
  • Folder of soft card cover
  • Language: not applicable, other than “Film” in the title and “Chez J. B.Neuman” there are no words
  • Paginated: unpaginated
  • Printed: verso and recto (double page spread of images
  • Edition: limited, numbered out of 300 and hand signed on the first page:
    • 100 on Japan paper
    • 200 on regular paper
    • NOTE: if it was actually published both in Berlin and New York that would suggest 600 copies – any information on a NY publication would be appreciated.
  • Reproduced drawings
  • References: Ritter B a 12; Von der Gabelentz 10; Pommeranz-Liedtke S. 204; Avermaete 10
  • Description: Illustrated title page and facing illustration plus 18 double-page illustrations and a limitation page.
Groteskfilm cover; front and back. Image credit: Bassenge.
Groteskfilm top view. Image credit: Bassenge.
Groteskfilm limitation page at front; hand numbered in black, signed
and dated by Masereel in mauve pencil. Image credit: ZK.
Groteskfilm title page with Masereel’s self-portrait as frontis.

With respect to the crocodile biting Masereel’s foot in the frontis above, there has been some speculation it is a reference to Eugene O’Neill’s
The Emperor Jones, which opened in New York City a year earlier. The play features a crocodile god that almost devours Jones.

The 1st and the last (18) broadsheets were dated by Masereel as below (October 1920 and May 1921).

1st double broadsheet of Groteskfilm dated Octobre 1920, lower left.
Last (No. 18) double broadsheet of Groteskfilm
initialled and dated Mai 1921, lower right.

1996 Italian Reprint

  • Date of publication: 1996
  • ISBN: not indicated
  • Publisher: Nautilus
  • Place of publication: Turin, Italy
  • Copyright: indicated “This publication is not subject to any copyright.”
  • Dimensions: 21 x 12.3 cm (8 1/4 x 4 7/8 in)
  • Binding: signatures glued to the spine
  • Boards: soft card wrapper
  • Language: Italian titles, etc
  • Paginated: unpaginated
  • Printed: verso and recto
  • Edition: Trade only
  • Description: 64 pages, all in Italian.
    • front and back cover flaps with author not identified
    • at page 42 brief extract (Masereel to Henry van de Velde);
    • at page 44 extract from Romain Rolland regarding Masereel;
    • pp 45 to 53 an essay
    • pp 54 to 62 – the text by Stefan Zweig is taken from Arthur Holitscher’s volume on Frans Masereel published in 1923 by A. Juncker, Verlag, Berlin.
Back, spine, and front cover of
the Italian reprint of Groteskfilm.
Note- the title is one word as Groteskfilm.
Also the frontis is greatly reduced in size.
Copyright page and title page of Groteskfilm.