Frans Masereel (1889-1972) was a Belgian painter and graphic artist who worked mainly in France. He is known especially for his woodcuts, which focused on political and social issues, such as war and capitalism. He completed over 40 wordless novels in his career, and among these, his greatest is generally said to be Passionate Journey. Crafted from 25 intricate woodcuts, Man's Passion, or The Passion of a Man, was the first wordless novel of its kind. A feast for the eyes and the imagination, this powerful visual narrative details the story of a young working-class man who leads a revolt against his employer.
Masereel's woodcuts influenced Lynd Ward and later graphic artists such as Clifford Harper, Eric Drooker, and Otto Nückel.
