Noční kousky – Hoffmann Ernst Theodor Amadeus (2016)

1816/1817 – inspired by Callot The renowned German fantasist Hoffmann, one of the greatest classics of literary horror, is considered a master of his craft and a pioneer of the modern short story. After writing one of his most terrifying novels, The Devil's Elixirs (Die Elixiere des Teufels – 1815/1816), he ventured into even more dreadful horrors to plunge his admirers into all gloom, into the clutches of the mysterious Sandman (Der Sandman), a being that sneaks in the dark to infants to scoop out their eyeballs, which it feeds to its bloodthirsty offspring. The collection of stories, of which the Sandman is a part, stems from the desire to capture the dark corners of the human soul through the engravings of painter Jacques Callot, inspired by the painter's style – chiaroscuro, where a number of characters are cast into darkness, with only some details illuminated like clear thoughts. It is noteworthy that the key story Sandman has inspired a number of creators, from psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud to the living legend of Italian horror Dario Argento. In its entirety, this classic collection is being published in Czech for the first time since its release in 1817.