Originally published in 1919, Mon Livre dÕHeures comes from a long tradition of Flemish master craftsmen. Illustrated by Frans Masereel, it contains 167 images originally printed from woodcut block.It tells the story of a young flaneur who wanders around his city, meeting prostitutes and committing mischief, but radically departs from the traditional novel by abandoning words altogether and presenting the narrative solely through illustrations.
Thomas Mann called Mon Livre dÕHeures his favorite movie, and through his wordless novels Frans Masereel established many of the conventions of graphic novels and comics that are still in use today.