At the center of the intellectual movement of the eighteenth century there was a man in particular, whose words transcend the time: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Poliedrico, a giant of German literature, lawyer, government minister, theater director, and prodigious collector and naturalist, was in everything and for all a revolutionary, intent on pushing the boundaries of perception and learning. Animated by an insatiable thirst for knowledge, his creative versatility knew no limits. The philosophic depth of Faust, the lyrical refinement of his poetry and the amplitude of scientific exploration at the basis of his theory of colours and botanical treatises have had an epochal meaning and testify, in their wide variety and influence, the genius of Goethe. As a poet and statesman, adviser, friend and lover, he left an indelible mark in the world surrounding him and still today is a source of inspiration and vision. With the support of the Klassik Stiftung Weimar and the Goethe National Museum, Montblanc dedicates his Writers Edition Homage to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Limited Edition to this universal genius, focusing in particular on his literary works. Writing was Goethe’s lifeblood. The most complete edition of his works and writings currently includes 40 volumes, containing about 3000 poems. His drama Götz von Berlichingen from the iron hand was published anonymously in 1773 but only a year later, in a period of frantic activity, he wrote The Sorrows of the young Werther in less than four weeks, which made the twenty-five lawyer suddenly famous. The young Werther brought German literature to the European literary scene. It is the story of a young man divided between love and duty, ardent passion and social conventions. An entire generation recognized the fate of the unhappy Werther. The novel also influenced this limited edition: its suggestive description of marble inspired the look of the precious lacquer of the hood and body, while the engraving on the ring of the body recalls the frame of a copper illustration of one of the first editions of Werther. Another key element of design refers to Goethe’s house in Weimar. The shades of blue and the motif of the precious lacquer reflect the color and structure of the wallpaper in the room of Junone in the abode of the writer. gold finish details and platinum also celebrate other decorative elements of the interior. A fascinating motif similar to a series of clover leaves is engraved around the top of the cap, taken from a letter written by Goethe to his beloved Charlotte Buff, model for the character of Lotte in his The Sorrows of the young Werther. An exceptional work of the Sturm und Drang movement, the epistolary novel of the young Goethe was recognized as a stroke of genius and, above all, a masterpiece of world literature. In a letter of 26 January 1827, Goethe interpreted the term “world literature” in a much more literal way than it is today, indicating a process of literary communication and mutual artistic stimulus on the international level. In the same way, he incorporated elements of Persian poetry into his Western-Eastern Divano cycle, such literature should be an expression of universality, transcending every linguistic, ethnic and temporal barrier. As a symbol of the concept of international literary dialogue, embodied by the term coined by Goethe “world literature”, the cap takes the form of a globe, crowned by the emblem Montblanc. Faust. A tragedy of Goethe is considered one of the most translated and represented dramas in the world. Goethe himself praised a series of lithographs by the painter Eugène Delacroix, commissioned as illustrations for the French translation of Faust. His depiction of Mefistofele, which flies over the city at night, finds echo in the elaborate scene engraved on the pen. The writing “Faust” and the date “1790” above celebrate the publication of Faust in Leipzig. A fragment. Faust’s thirst for knowledge and his irrepressible desire to reveal the secrets of the world reflect Goethe’s passion for the study of natural phenomena. At an early age, he even considered his most valuable scientific results of his poetic works. In his Theory of Colors, he faced a wide range of topics, from physics to color psychology, opening a completely new perspective on the essence of color. He also devoted himself to optics and anatomy, biology and geology, archiving thousands of scientific samples in jars and boxes. The slightly curved shape of the hood, which refers to an ancient vase of spectrals, is a tribute to Goethe’s achievements as a scientist and collector. The leaf-shaped clip pays tribute to his studies in the field of morphology and, in particular, to his theory of an archetypal vegetable form. He also transposed this idea into verses in his didactic poem of love The metamorphosis of plants. The inspiration for the global design of the edition, in particular the body and the cone, was taken by the type of historical writing instrument with which Goethe has transported discoveries inspired by historians, with which he has transported on paper all his knowledge, insights and fruits of his unlimited poetic imagination.
Ident No. MB131436
