The newly illustrated Lazarillo de Tormes earns top recognition in 2022
The illustrated edition of the life, wealth, and hardships of Lazarillo de Tormes, a celebrated literary classic, has been brought to life by a contemporary press while preserving traditional printing methods. The result is a newly appreciated treasure that garnered the first prize for Best Edited Book 2022 in the bibliophile category from the Ministry of Culture.
Among fourteen winners chosen from 154 submissions, the jurors praised the work for its excellent presentation on premium paper and for the significant improvement in the balance between modern readability and traditional printing techniques. The judges described it as a modern vision of a classic work. This distinction marks a notable achievement in preserving historical form while delivering a fresh, accessible edition.
The project was conceived and designed by the Alicante artist Antonio Alcaraz, a professor of Drawing at the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Polytechnic University of Valencia. The university published the volume in collaboration with a Valencian printer. Alcaraz notes that the university workshop continues to teach traditional printing techniques for contemporary graphic editing, ensuring that these methods endure in modern publishing.
The book features numerous drawings by a dozen contributing artists, all produced with careful respect for the source material. The edition draws on the 1554 Burgos original and includes typographical fidelity. It is not a full-text reproduction like other editions that rely on excerpts; it is a contemporary edition that remains faithful to the classic work. As Alcaraz explains, the project required more resources due to its approach, yet it successfully preserves the original spirit within a modern frame.
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The award reflects a long, meticulous process. The assistant editor-in-chief remarks that while the prize brings satisfaction, the journey involved a long effort that was interrupted by the pandemic, making the accolade all the more meaningful. The recognition also highlights the work of the UPV workshop in reviving traditional printing processes, including graphic arts techniques, the use of period-appropriate printing machines, and the preservation of materials at risk of disappearing due to industry changes.
In this project, the Lazarillo texts were set by hand, letter by letter, with lead movable type sourced from a historic foundry that is no longer in operation. Printing used a 1955 Original Heidelberg press, a machine often described as a living museum for its enduring functionality. The edition was printed on high-quality paper within the typography workshop of the Faculty of Fine Arts. The master printer quips that this might be his last book printed using a ten-point body, joking that it is a compact final volume.
The original graphic sections were hand drawn and produced by several artists, many of whom are professors in the Faculty of Fine Arts. The project employed traditional techniques such as screen printing and engraving, including wood carving. Some collaborators also used digital printing with an Epson plotter in the UPV Drawing Department’s Media Resources Laboratories to meet contemporary production needs.
Binding work was completed by Poncho Martinez, a Mexican professional who lives and works in Barcelona. Martinez has collaborated with prominent contemporary artists, including Antoni Muntadas, Federic Amat, Francis Torres, and Joan Fontcubera. The Lazarillo edition is a high bibliophile edition, limited to eighty copies, each numbered and signed.
Even though the award offers prestige and broader dissemination through major book fairs such as LIBER, Frankfurt, and Leipzig, it does not provide a direct financial grant. The winning volumes will be featured at international venues, showcasing this rare synthesis of heritage and modern craft to a global audience.