New book collection launched by Seuil

The Seuil publishing house has launched a new collection called "Les Écrins," which aims to highlight the most significant books from its catalog. The collection features "great masterpieces" of literature and the humanities, with each book accompanied by an artistic interpretation by an illustrator.

Collection reflects Seuil's 90th anniversary

The launch of "Les Écrins" coincides with the 90th anniversary of Seuil and the 90th anniversary of the original "Les Écrins" catalog. Editor-in-chief Flore Roumens explained that the idea was to showcase the Seuil catalog in a fresh, contemporary way, building on her extensive experience with the publishing house.

Design highlights thematic categories

Roumens emphasized the importance of visual design in the collection. Four distinct colors will be used to identify different categories: red for French literature, green for foreign literature, and brown and blue for the humanities. This approach draws inspiration from Seuil's previous "Esprit" collection, adding a varnish to create a layered, palimpsest-like effect.

Two major titles debut with the collection

To introduce the collection, Seuil has selected two significant works. The first is Peau noire, masques blancs by Frantz Fanon, featuring a preface and postface by Francis Jeanson and illustrations by Henning Wangenbreth. The second is The Flame by Leonard Cohen, with illustrations by Cohen himself and translated by Nicolas Richard.

Future publications planned for key dates

Seuil plans to publish four titles each year, focusing on important anniversaries and events. For example, Allah n'est pas obligé by Ahmadou Kourouma will be published in April 2027 to mark the centenary of the author's birth. Another upcoming title is Vidal et les siens by Edgar Morin, a personal account of the author's father.

Artistic collaboration with illustrators

Each book in the collection will include illustrations or drawings created specifically for the occasion. Artists are invited to contribute, with techniques such as watercolor, lithography, or Chinese ink allowed. However, the text of the books, which often belong to deceased authors, cannot be altered. The illustrations are therefore created around the existing text, offering a unique artistic interpretation.