Exquisite Corpse

by Robert Irwin

Set in London, Paris, and Munich in the 1940s and 1950s, Exquisite Corpse is, like Irwin’s cult classic, The Arabian Nightmare, a novel about the strange and ever-morphing powers of the imagination. At once a love story, a mystery, and an investigation into the ideas of absurdist art, "Irwin's novel about English surrealism is funny and profound and hugely satisfying" (A. S. Byatt, Sunday Times)

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literature, British Literature, Literary Fiction, Novels, Art

235 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Robert Graham Irwin was a British historian, novelist, and writer on Arabic literature.

Reviews

[Vit Babenco · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Green Duck Sweetly Sang the Dreadful Dirge
Exquisite corpse, also known as exquisite cadaver (from the original French term cadavre exquis) or rotating corpse, is a method by which a collection of words or images is collectively assembled. Each collaborator adds to a composition in sequence, either by following a rule or by being allowed to see only the end of what the previous person contributed.
Exquisite corpse is a surrealistic novel about surrealism.

I thought that I could look back on the past as if through a window, but what I was actually looking at was only a painting of a window… Illusions of the heart and the eye…

The story is a confession of a surrealistic artist and he also is its fictitious author…
And he has a quite mysterious curriculum vitae:

If you are curious about my parentage, know then that Lautréamont was my father and Alice in Wonderland my mother. As for my infancy, I am still in it. In my studies the whisky bottle has served me as a microscope and the brothel has been my laboratory.

The great surreal love has been lost and the artist strives to regain it stumbling through historical cataclysms, desolation, despair and personal insanity.

I would stare out of the window and I would try to use my mental forces to form the clouds into the shapes I wanted. Cloud-sculpting might be the art of the future, I thought… My experiments in the clinic and their failure led me to the objective conclusion that the universe was not after all constructed around me, as my presence at its centre had at first led me to surmise.

And everything is not what it seems to be… Everything has its hidden true gist.

Once one has seen what is visible, it becomes easier to paint the invisible.

Once one has perceived what is obvious, it becomes easier to recognize the surreal.

[MJ Nicholls · Rating 5 out of 5]

The anti-memoire (sic) of Caspar, the friendly Surrealist, takes a scenic and droll stroll through the world of 1930s British Surrealism, a pale, anaemic imitation of the French movement, hobnobbing fictionally with the key players of the period. Caspar’s line is in grotesque anti-war paintings set in bookstores, and when not painting those, he pursues an obsessive, stalkerish relationship with sexy typist Caroline, whose intellectual flourishing awkwardly sets in motion Caspar’s mental and artistic decline, as the Second World War encroaches like a pair of sweaty Weinstein hands in a Hilton. They era is evocatively wrought with wry dollops and humour and an affection for the doomed artists, and provides an insight into the role of artists in the war, sent to sketch the ruins of buildings mid-crumble. A dazzling, charming novel.

[Karellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I'm enjoying this novel, there is something rather bizarre about it - one could say it's surreal. Well, it is about a bunch of Surrealists living in pre-war London. It's almost too easy to read, perhaps not challenging enough for this reader? At the beginning the narrator falls for a woman he meets whilst blindfolded, and then begins an infatuation with her. The story unfolds in London, Paris, and Munich. The author manages to involve several real life surrealists in the story, such as Breton and Eluard, but I found these portraits less than convincing.
For me this book is lacking in depth, but nevertheless it's entertaining enough. I just wouldn't rank Irwin among the greatest of stylists, that's all.

[Eve Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Crowley by Ozzy Osbourne

Starts to play at the back of my head when I think of Exquisite Corpse

Mr. Crowley, what went on in your head
Mr. Crowley, did you talk with the dead
Your lifestyle to me seemed so tragic
With the thrill of it all
You fooled all the people with magic
You waited on Satan's call

Mr. Charming, did you think you were pure
Mr. Alarming, in nocturnal rapport
Uncovering things that were sacred manifest on this earth
Conceived in the eye of a secret
And they scattered the afterbirth

Mr. Crowley, won't you ride my white horse
Mr. Crowley, it's symbolic of course
Approaching a time that is classic
I hear maidens call
Approaching a time that is drastic
Standing with their backs to the wall

Was it polemically sent
I want to know what you meant
I want to know
I want to know what you meant



Eventhough Crowley plays only a side role in the story, the song somehow encompasses the feel of the book. I've always loved the song and it has a certain mystery to it. Quite like the Exquisite Corpse has. It's that feel, that air which really got a hold of me and dragged me into the mist of the story. The feel of the book is something I've never felt before. It's so strange and out there but at the same time so normal and mundane. It's like my every day life viewed through a dream.

I never get into books like these, I mean I didn't know that these sort of stories are my thing. Well, I mean:



But it's all of the elements of the book that make it so special. All the questions it brought to surface in me and the fact that all the answers are also in me. I didn't expect the book to give any answers, nore did I really look for them in there, because quite at the beginning I could just feel that the author isn't so staightforward and the story deffinitely is not. I read it for the enjoyment of the story, really at the time this was my favourite book of all time. It still is at the top of my list. At some point I'm going to want to read it again but not yet, because I'm afraid the air of the book might have changed as I've grown up and I don't want to lose that feeling for a long time yet.

The most gripping element of the story is the love-story, though. It surprised me in its beauty and poisonous addictions. Like leaching. It sucks the blood out of the reader as it felt the protagonist did with the object of his affection, as one would describe her. I don't know if I wanted them to get each other or her to get away, or what it is that I wanted for either of them exactly, but I know that now that I think of the story, I always imagine them side by side watching a sunset. Whether they are together or not is now irrelevant. I just want them to be happy.

[David Torres · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

La historia es interesante, presenta a un grupo de personajes peculiares que se reúnen bajo el nombre de La Hermandad Serapión, y discuten sobre el arte surrealista y el camino que este tomará con el tiempo, entre otros temas. Suceden algunas cosas extrañas como sesiones de mesmerismo, orgías en la oscuridad, juegos en la playa e idas al cine; todo acompañado siempre con los pensamientos de Caspar, un hombre en busca de un sentido que solo llega a encontrar en una mujer ajena a su mundo.
Las similitudes con la historia principal de Rayuela son obvias, pero guardan asimismo muchas diferencias entre sí.
Su defecto es que llega a ser lento en muchas partes, o simplemente deja de ser interesante.
El final es muy bueno, cuando terminé el último renglón tuve que leer de nuevo el párrafo.
Lo recomiendo, pero no mucho, solo a quien le interese un poco el arte, o a quien no le moleste leer unos cuantos nombres sin saber quiénes son.

[Aya McGee]

Seems like a fair representation of Surrealism as far as I understand ~ difficult to read ~~~ obsessive misogyny without too much tact. Full of interesting references and research rabbit holes. Found myself wanting to get it all over with. Still love Robert Irwin's ability to nest stories within stories (what I came here for)

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

“You know, I feel that I can hypnotize reality and make it do what I want.”
3.5 stars. solid twist and very entertaining. Learned a little bit abt surrealism and its history but it was cheesy when he gave real artists little cameos (get outta here Salvador Dali!)

[Rob Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m new to reading Robert Irwin; this book has sat on my shelves for 20 years after I picked it up at a used book store. And like many long neglected books, it’s proven to be a favorite.

“Exquisite Corpse” involves Surrealism, as those familiar with the term might expect; it’s the ‘anti-memoire’ of Caspar, a member of the Serapion Brotherhood, an (apparently) fictional group of surrealist writers and painters based in 1930s London. Principally it documents the narrator’s consuming obsession with Caroline, a typist/secretary whom he draws into his bizarre set, and his descent into madness when the relationship goes awry. Along the way they encounter figures like André Breton, Gala Dalí, Paul Eluard and Max Ernst, and after his love object disappears, he ventures to Munich and attends the Nazis’ infamous ”Degenerate Art” exhibition. The novel maintains a high level of tension and suspense throughout, and is compulsively readable. Only at the very end does it disappoint somewhat, as Caspar’s quest ends on a surprisingly quotidian note; perhaps the point is that in his life pursuing extraordinary experiences, he missed the obvious, and perhaps more fulfilling paths he might have trodden. Still I found it a bit of a letdown as I expected something far more over-the-top, like the material which makes up most of the book.

Nevertheless I highly recommend it, and was so taken with Irwin’s writing I’ve picked up his later novel “Satan Wants Me” which looks very promising: a story of a late 1960s hipster in London who gets caught up in a tangled web of Crowleyan Magick and Satanism.

[Lohmatii · Rating 5 out of 5]

Очень сильная книга.
Медленная. Печальная. Почти болезненная.
Книга о безумии и одиночестве. В какой-то момент в самой середине начинает казаться, что читаешь сопливый любовный роман. Но очень быстро страсть героя становится не просто преувеличенной, а гротескной и патологической. Хотя все как будто вертится вокруг женщины, самой ее нет. Все место занимает только главный герой, глубже и глубже ныряющий в безумие. В какой-то момент становится совершенно непонятно, что из описанного происходит "на самом деле", а что является его бредом. И финальная сцена - кульминация этой двусмысленности.
Отрешенность, потерянность и одиночество. Книга ими сквозит.

[Missberet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caspar is a Surrealist painter amongst a group of friends Ned, Oliver, Mackeller, Felix and Jorge. Caspar meets Caroline immediately falling in love with her, she is his dream woman. He introduces her to his friends, even though she wants to be a fashion designer she works as a secretary at a fur company. She is well respected and in good company. Casper then starts to change into a disgruntled artist leading to Caroline disappearing from his life. Unable to find her for many years he also finds his friends slowly disappearing as well leaving him alone in a changing world. What sort of reappearance is he going to find amid his brocken heart? Yet he will never give up on Caroline.
This story does not have the usual imagination of Robert Irwin, yet is a good lesson on the viewpoint of day to day life and facing regrets.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first two-thirds: Well-written, but a not very remarkable "boy meets girl, boy loses girl story" with colorful backgrounds supplied by real and fictional 1930s Surrealists. I kept waiting for something big to happen. Last third: All sorts of things happen, the characters' world changes irrevocably and the mood becomes affectingly sad/nostalgic. I enjoyed it tremendously. Final line: Everything changes. I don't think I get exactly what Irwin's going for, but I'm glad I read it.

George Orwell has a cameo - not necessarily flattering, but an excellent attempt to imagine how he would have reacting to meeting a bunch of Surrealists in a pub.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a misguided, love-sick artist who struggles with his place in the world. He struggles with staying in touch with reality. Therefore, this book will definitely leave you guessing, even after it ends.

It is a good historical fiction book. They discussed surrealism, surrealist artists, and wartime.

[Natalia Kuzmina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Роман-фантазия о силе и причудливости фантазии

[Michael Alan Grapin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Egocentric artist with the surrealist movement obsesses over a young woman while navigating the years before, during and after the second world war.

[Andres]

Me lo leí en español y lo disfrute demasiado

[Spinster · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I borrowed this book from the library. None whatsoever. I just thought the cover design was cool and decided to give it a go.

Now, I know nothing about surrealism or surrealists. I suppose I know a bit more now than I did before reading Exquisite Corpse, but... To me they're still just weird people creating weird stuff. Not offensively weird, just weird. It was interesting to read a book that was set in such a bizarre environment, where the characters made perfect sense in a bizarre way, and even the bizarre story was rather interesting.

Caspar himself was a somewhat surreal main character - no background, no family, not even a last name. Getting to know him was a long process, what with the surreal air and the fact that he was both deluding himself and a wee bit crazy. It didn't really matter though, as the real main character was Caroline, or the Caroline only Caspar saw and presented to the reader.

I liked Exquisite Corpse. It was a fairly easy read and provided insight and information on surrealism in a fairly understandable way. I don't know why, but I also found it lacking. Maybe it wasn't surreal enough? Too easy a read? I don't know. I was definitely not disappointed by it, I just felt like there could have been something more.

[Ari · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not expect much. Although the cover illustration of the Finnish edition is quite fantastic :-) The cover fits also the story being surrealistic.

A kind of love story with some interesting characters - mixing real and fictional persons around the Serapion guild of surrealistic artists and their muses.

The story was so well written that I had to read it. I normally finish the books I have started sooner or later but in thius case it was rather sooner as this was not boring at all.
I slightly dislike the way some writers leave it to the reader to figure out what is really happeniung in the novel and what is result of main character's imagination (or insanity). Irwin used this effect and that dropped a star; it's a bit worn out method to confuse the readers.

Täydellinen ruumis (LIKE, 1995)

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. I can totally relate to this pitifully unlovable narrator, Caspar. I say 'unlovable' only because I don't love him... I just know exactly how he feels.

Irwin inhabits his character so completely that I found it difficult to believe that he didn't live it (he didn't). Though the narrator's shifting perspective (Caspar's then and now and now-later) makes the book feel like memory, not, you know, 'book'. Plus, it is full of tons of yummy art-world skewering, self-loathing, and deluded love.

I like when people write quotes in their reviews so, here:

"'Why nuns?' I wanted to know.
'Their skin smells nice,' said Mark at last.
Then, having decided that I was going to find Mark difficult to talk to, I turned to Ned."

published in 1995, btw. not 2003

[Janelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first read this book in my early 20's and was enthralled. At the time I was just finishing an undergrad degree in art history and the many art and literary references Irwin throws in pulled me in. Having just read it for the second time now, I am less enthusiastic. I still very much appreciate the way Irwin mixes fact and fiction, but that is about where the fascination ends. The characters lack depth, and for such a short book, there are many of them. The book does have a surrealistic air about it, which is quite fitting, but it just rings a bit hollow to me. Worth a read, but may be too flat for anyone without an interest in artistic culture of the early 20th C.

[Liviu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book that I started a while ago and read quite a lot from it but put it down. I finished it and the same impressions as before applied; I liked the style but found the story kind of pointless - it has is moments and the wanderings of the narrator both "artistic" and geographical are of some interest, but overall I could not care less about most of stuff that happened; I expected more based on reviews, blurb, though still the book was entertaining based on style and on being short enough not to get boring; clear solid B

[Wil · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book would be more interesting. It tells the story of a young man who counts himself among the British surrealists prior to the second world war. Though some of the concepts and ideas of the time did prove to be engaging, I found his personal story (and that of his infatuation with a girl he meets) banal. Only in the end, was there a twist that surprised a bit, and hence the additional star.

[Kyle Muntz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel was very well put together and brilliant as a piece of historical fiction--with a few scenes verging on genius--but at the same time there was something too empty about it. Irwin's writing here is much more controlled than in The Arabian Nightmare; even with some reservations, this is one of the most powerful meditations on loss I've read in a long time.

[Cerize · Rating 3 out of 5]

World War II and surrealism feat. Art and love.

I'd say that the ending was quite unforgiving for me but still a very interesting read. I was very curious as to whether he'd be able to find Caroline that's why I continued reading it. I liked Irwin and his ideas. The way he talks about art amazes me.

[Allyson Shaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a method of random reading, selecting library books based on a kind of alphabetical sequence with my last book read. This was the book I was lead to on the shelf. An oddly superficial treatment of fascinating subjects- surrealist art's relationship to misogyny and atrocity. Instead it's a bit fluffy- a tedious romance like something from an unfunny later woody Allen film.

[Marc · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting novel about the surrealist movement. Curiously, the summary on the back of the book describes the narrative as taking place in the 1940s and 1950s, but most of the action occurs in the 1930s. In some ways, this novel works as a good second-cousin to Gravity's Rainbow.

[аннушка · Rating 3 out of 5]

if goodreads allowed half stars this would be a 3,5 purely because of how lazy the ending is. otherwise the book was pretty good but somewhat bland. if i’m being honest the premise could’ve had a more interesting execution.

[Aaron Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent, hilariously funny novel. It cut too close to home for me though. The last chapter or so was too blandly intense to not choke me up. Superb.

[Chloé · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has a lot of twist overall I liked it

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book with great writing and surrealism what else do you need.