Balzaculator: la Comedie humaine as a binary system for Balzacolytes View record in Reed Digital Collections

N7433.4.L67 B35 2013

This is an analog, proto-computer to determine which characters created by Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850) appear in which stories or novels of The Human Comedy. In 1833, after Balzac had already started writing this collection of 90+ novels and stories, he realized the potential of weaving repeating characters throughout the works ... Of the thousands of characters, all appearing four or more times are here. The loom apparatus pays homage to French weaver and merchant Jacquard, whose innovations around the time of Balzac's birth constituted the first computer program: a series of punched cards to indicate a pattern to be woven automatically on a loom. The viewer may place the punched card in front of any of the 179 repeating characters in the Balzaculator colored dots will show the novels or stories in which a character appears. The Balzaculator Color Code on the reverse is a key to enrich each character by citing professions, status and personal qualities. For the truly curious, there is also an index regarding the reason two characters share a single sheet'--Colophon. Limited edition of 33 copies, numbered and signed by the artist. 'The eight linen bookbinding threads allowing the cover to open and close echo the eight-character bit strings of binary code used to write the title on the cover, and the eight sections of La Comédie Humaine. The faux terracotta antique Roman loom weights dangling from the threads, together with the canvas cover printed in gold, summon up Balzac, the fervid collector of art and antiquities, writing through the night in his white cashmere monk's robe tied with a gold Venetian belt. Dots in Memento archival ink printed with HB pencil erasers on acid-free cardstock. Errata corrige in archival ink pen based on Balzac's outlandish corrected proofs which he gave as presents to friends'--Colophon. 'The single punch card with the names of all the stories and novels of the Comédie Humaine with repeating characters, and the templates used to register the dots representing the novels characters appear in were perforated by hand with a paper drill. The only mechanical process involving modern technology was the laser printing of the character names at the top of the page, and the electric gold stamping machine for the title of the work in 8-bit binary code, carried out by Legatoria dell'Unione in the center of Bologna, where Balzac wandered around, noting monuments for his novels and visiting his friends Rossini and Zulma Carraud in Strada Maggiore'--Artist's website. Consists of 91 loose cards, assembled in a canvas-covered portfolio, held together with eight linen bookbinding threads on each side, allowing the cover to open and close partially; faux terracotta loom weights tied to the ends of the threads; issued in an acrylic display case. 91 unnumbered leaves with color illustrations.