The Cross-Eyed Mutt

by Étienne Davodeau

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Pub Date Jul 03 2017 | Archive Date Aug 04 2017

Papercutz | NBM Publishing

Comics, Graphic Novels, Manga

Description

Fabian is supervisor at the Louvre. He loves his job. He also loves Mathilde. When it comes time, she presents him to her family in their vast country house and not without some apprehension, as the Benion clan is a bit special. There’s her father, Louis, who heads since 1975 the family furniture company founded in 1947, and two brothers, Maxime and Joseph. They’re not bad guys, just rather clumsy and with a decidedly unsubtle sense of humor. The fact that Fabian works in the Louvre is a welcome coincidence, since they just found in the attic a painting by an ancestor in the nineteenth century. It’s a sorry representation of a cross-eyed mutt. What is the value? ask the Benion. Is this an eyesore or a masterpiece? Fabian, pretty embarrassed, punts on the question. So for the Benion, case closed, if it ain’t an eyesore then no doubt it has its place on the walls of the Louvre! Fabian is left hoping the whole delusion will just go away, until one day the two brothers show up at the Louvre and ask. Getting the Cross-Eyed Mutt into the Louvre would demonstrate his commitment to becoming a member of the Benion family! Fabian is now in a pickle when he meets Mr. André Balouchi, an oddball frequent visitor of the museum who turns out to have quite a bit of clout… A raucous satirical comedy that asks: Who decides what makes a work of art worthy of being in a major museum?

Available Editions

EDITION	Hardcover
ISBN	9781681120973
PRICE	CA$33.99 (CAD)
PAGES	144

Additional Information

Average rating from 11 members

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Featured Reviews

Adam D, Librarian

I love the black and white artstyle of this graphic novel.

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Diane H, Reviewer

Sweet graphic novel showcasing the Louvre's acquisition process

Fabien, a Louvre security guard, meets his girlfriend's family for the first time. The family has an ancestor's painting in their attic that they want Fabien to evaluate. What happens to the painting is the plot of this graphic novel.

I really enjoyed the characters in this novel. They seemed very genuine and also very French. The illustrations of the Louvre's art were fantastic. However, my favorite part of the book was the resolution. It's brilliant!

Thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Wayne M, Reviewer

'The Cross-Eyed Mutt' by Etienne Davodeau is a graphic novel about the Louvre and asks the question what qualifies as art?

Fabian is a security guard at the Louvre. He spends his days keeping tourists away from the art and pointing in the direction of the Mona Lisa. His girlfriend is Mathilde. When Fabian goes to meet Mathilde's family, he meets a group of odd eccentrics. When they learn Fabian works at the Louvre, they show him an ancient family painting of a cross-eyed dog and ask him if it would be possible for him to have it added to the Louvre. It's a silly painting, and it's nothing to do with the job that Fabian has, but before long, he meets a secret society of folks who may help to make it possible.

I really liked this story and it's commentary on art. How we view art. How we try to capture art on a rushed vacation. Why something qualifies as art, but not something else. The questions don't get answered, but they leave us to ponder them, as good art does.

The art is also fun. The story is set in the Louvre, and it looks like the artist got to spend time in the galleries capturing the art and spectators.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Papercutz and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.