Some classic novels seem like obvious choices for picture-book adaptations — The Call of the Wild, perhaps, or some of Charles Dickens’ tales. Far less kid-friendly is Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary, which Japanese artist Takahiro Kimura has illustrated with his signature collages. Although the project is an unexpected one, Kimura balances the beauty of Flaubert’s descriptions with the ugliness and chaos lurking inside the characters’ psyches to create illustrations that perfectly express the tensions within the novel. Those who have read and loved Bovary will recognize many of the scenes in the gallery below, but for those who aren’t yet familiar with the story it shouldn’t really spoil anything. See some of our favorite works from the series after the jump, then visit Kimura’s Behance page to explore more of his work.
Image credit: Takahiro Kimura
Image credit: Takahiro Kimura
Image credit: Takahiro Kimura
Image credit: Takahiro Kimura
Image credit: Takahiro Kimura
Image credit: Takahiro Kimura
Image credit: Takahiro Kimura
Image credit: Takahiro Kimura
Image credit: Takahiro Kimura
Image credit: Takahiro Kimura