Reader XCV, 2026
Sculpture : wood, paper · 31 x 22 x 11 cm 12.2 x 8.7 x 4.3 inch
€450
450 €
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Shipped from: Spain
Delivery to: Germany , € 41
Estimated delivery: Less than one week
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Verified Reviews : 9.6/10
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About the artwork
Type
Sculpture : Unique artwork
Condition
Artwork sold in perfect condition
Authenticity
Sold with certificate of Authenticity from the artist
Invoice from the artist
Signature
Hand-signed by artist
Dimensions ( cm • inch )
31 x 22 x 11 cm 12.2 x 8.7 x 4.3 inch Height x Width x Depth
Sold by
Independent artist
Credentials
Vetted seller since 2025
Description
A statuette inspired by Gustave Flaubert's quote: “Do not read as children do, for amusement, or as the ambitious do, to educate yourself. No, read to live."
Gustave Flaubert's reflection proposes a much deeper and more transformative way of understanding reading. He does not reject pleasure or learning, but warns that reducing books solely to entertainment or useful tools impoverishes their true potential.
When Flaubert speaks of not reading “like children, for fun," he is not dismissing enjoyment, but pointing out that reading should not remain a superficial or fleeting experience. Similarly, by saying we should not read “like the ambitious, to educate yourself," he criticizes an instrumental view of knowledge, in which books become mere means to achieve success, prestige, or power.
The key lies in his final statement: “read to live." Reading to live involves integrating what one has read into one's own existence. It means allowing stories, ideas, and characters to transform the way we see the world and understand ourselves. Through reading, one can experience the lives of others, explore emotions one has never directly felt, and confront dilemmas that broaden one's consciousness.
In this sense, reading is not an escape from life, but rather a way to intensify it. It is a way to live more fully, to inhabit other realities without leaving one's own behind. Books become an extension of the human experience, allowing each reader to build a richer, more complex, and more reflective life.
Flaubert, at heart, advocates for active and existential reading: the kind in which the reader not only receives, but also engages, questions, and changes. Because when you truly read, you don't come away from the book the same person.
Presentation
The central themes of his pieces revolve around reading. José Manuel, through his figures of geometric lines in unrepeatable scenarios, seeks to transmit various emotions with the reader. His creative compositions are mainly based on wood.
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