The Soul of Books: A Journey from Bark to Pages

I must have been born in a library, for the love I hold for books is immeasurable. A book awakens all the senses in me: the visual pleasure, the tactile warmth, the scent of cinnamon or vanilla from old pages, the soft rustle of turning leaves, and even the taste… To me, no digital book will ever replace the presence of a real one, with its soul and essence.

But the journey from tablet to scroll, to codex, and finally to the modern book spans millennia. The codex, the direct ancestor of today’s book, introduced a revolutionary format—pages bound along one edge—laying the foundation for how we read and store knowledge today.

Books, as we recognize them, became widespread during the Middle Ages, largely due to Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press. However, the codex itself dates back much further. It was made of sheets folded multiple times, often twice, to form a bifolio. These bifolia were sewn together into gatherings, allowing for binding and, when needed, rebinding. The most common structure consisted of four bifolia—eight sheets, totaling sixteen pages—known in Latin as quaternio. This term later gave rise to quaderno in Italian, cahier in French, and quire in English. Interestingly, the Latin word codex originally meant a block of wood, a nod to the materials once used for writing.

Even the word book has deep roots—its Old English form, bōc, likely stems from the Germanic root bōk-, meaning beech. This isn’t just a linguistic coincidence; early writings may have been carved into beech wood. In Slavic languages, the word for “letter,” буква (bukva), shares this origin. In Russian, Serbian, and Macedonian, букварь (bukvar’) or буквар (bukvar) refers to a child’s first reading textbook.

Similarly, the Latin word liber, which gave rise to libro in Italian and livre in French, originally meant “bark,” reinforcing the deep connection between books and trees. The Greek root biblio, is believed to be derived from βύβλος (búblos), meaning “papyrus,” named after the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos, a major hub of the papyrus trade.

From carved wood and tree bark to bound pages and printed volumes, books have always been deeply rooted in nature—both in language and in form.

Sphere of Influence of Our Ego

Imperialism is not limited to a group or a country. In fact, each of us is, in essence, an imperialist, striving—whether subtly or forcefully, skillfully or clumsily—to expand his / her sphere of influence in the world. The methods we employ vary from person to person: some are conciliators, while others are more combative.
When I was 25, I empirically explored how these spheres of influence, which I termed ECFs, interacted between two individuals. To make the concept understandable, I employed the metaphor of colors. This brief is discussed in my book, “Le Voile d’Iris” (French edition, see image below). Perhaps one day, I will revisit this study to develop it into something more rigorous.

The ‘Sassy Sparkler’ Sea Worm: Nature’s Deep-Sea Light Show

While exploring the Chile Margin along South America’s coastline, researchers made a dazzling discovery with their robotic explorer, ROV SuBastian: the iridescent ‘sassy sparkler‘ sea worm.

At first glance, this deep-sea polychaete worm appears unremarkable with its bristly body. But as it moves, its shimmering bristles reflect light, creating a pink iridescent glow. The secret lies in nanoscale structures within the bristles that act like prisms, scattering light to produce shifting colors depending on the angle of view.

This optical illusion not only mesmerizes but also serves practical purposes. The worm’s changing hues help with camouflage, communication, and UV protection in the deep ocean.

Polychaetes like the ‘sassy sparkler’ play essential roles in marine ecosystems, thriving in extreme environments like hydrothermal vents and contributing to nutrient cycling in ocean depths.

Apparition: The Face That Transforms

I’m pleased to announce that my work Apparition will be featured in the 6th volume of Taschen’s Library of Esoterica, set to release in early 2025.

This portrait, created by combining photographs of 50 different human faces, presents a ghostly image that endlessly shifts its features as you look at it. The effect is driven by the neural adaptation phenomenon, similar to Troxler fading, along with the brain’s face-recognition circuits, which complete the image.

You can explore this piece and more with prints available from my online gallery.

For a deeper dive, visit Spirit Worlds here to explore art, rituals, and myths from hidden realms.

Van Gogh and the Path to Abstraction

In the painting La Maison Blanche, la Nuit (1890), Vincent van Gogh’s vivid brushstrokes, layered over background hues, give the artwork a surreal dimension. His late works are marked by these expressive strokes, almost like vectors of the soul, stirring and expanding the space within his compositions.

La Maison Blanche, la Nuit, 1890, Vincent van Gogh, in the Hermitage Museum.

Had Van Gogh shifted toward a greater focus on minimalist expression rather than detailed representation, his work might have evolved in a more abstract direction. This evolution could have shared similarities with pioneers like Kandinsky and Mondrian, particularly in their use of pure form and color. However, Van Gogh’s distinct style would have likely led him toward a more organic abstraction, where his vibrant palette could have become swirling, interlacing forms—creating a dynamic sense of color and movement that might have hinted at the future development of Abstract Expressionism.

When Orient Meets Occident: The Buddhist and Christian Parables

The Buddhist parable of the man hanging from a cliff and the Christian legend of “Barlaam and Josaphat” both explore human vulnerability, the impermanence of life, and fleeting pleasures. Despite different contexts, they share profound philosophical insights.

The Buddhist Parable

A man chased by tigers falls off a cliff, clinging to a fragile root. Facing death above and below, he notices a ripe strawberry. Ignoring danger, he tastes it, savoring the present moment. The strawberry symbolizes mindfulness and the beauty of the present despite life’s dangers.

The Christian Legend

In the medieval Christian story, a man chased by a unicorn falls into a pit, holding onto a branch. A dragon waits below, while two mice—one black, one white, symbolizing night and day—gnaw at the root. Drawn by the sweetness of honey dripping nearby, he forgets the danger beneath. The honey represents worldly pleasures that distract from spiritual awareness.

Key Similarities

– Life’s Fragility: Both stories depict imminent danger, emphasizing life’s precariousness and impermanence.

– Fleeting Pleasures: The strawberry and honey symbolize temporary sensory pleasures.

– Impermanence: The mice in the Christian tale echo the passing of time, a theme also present in the Buddhist view.

Key Differences

– Buddhist Perspective: Focuses on mindfulness and present awareness.

– Christian Perspective: Warns against worldly distractions from spiritual truth.

Both parables emphasize life’s fragility and the tension between danger and fleeting pleasures. They offer timeless reflections on mindfulness and the importance of spiritual awareness.

But how is art connected to these stories? Both explore how perception shapes our experience of life. What we focus on—whether a ripe berry, a drop of honey, or a striking pattern—can define our reality, revealing beauty or reflecting deeper truths.

These parables also show the importance of context. In the East, strawberries symbolize sweetness, while in the West—especially during medieval times—it was honey. The sources of fear also differ: in the East, tigers have long been feared, and this legacy endures today. In the West, storytellers created mythical creatures to inspire fear, since real animals like bears and wolves, though dangerous, typically keep their distance from humans, making them seem less threatening than imagined monsters.

Through the Eyes of Insects

The compound eye is nothing like the human eye, but we often misunderstand how insects see the world. In horror movies, their vision is depicted as a chaotic kaleidoscope. In reality, it’s much more refined—like viewing the world through a crystal-clear glass paperweight. 

What’s even more fascinating? Some insects have vibrant color patterns on their compound eyes that serve a purpose! These patterns act as filters, enhancing contrast to help them spot objects against colorful backgrounds or shielding their eyes from certain wavelengths of light.

Take the Deer Fly and Horse Fly, for example—both flaunt these functional designs. But the Green Lacewing (Chrysopidae) takes the crown for the wildest look. Its compound eyes create a diffraction pattern resembling a sheriff’s star, formed by the countless six-sided “ommatidia” that make up its eye structure.

The Wonders of Compound Eyes

Insect compound eyes are made up of thousands of tiny units called ‘ommatidia’, each acting like a mini-eye. This gives insects a near-panoramic view, perfect for spotting motion and environmental changes. Dragonflies, for example, have around 30,000 ommatidia per eye, making them masters of motion detection.

While human eyes, with their single lens and dense photoreceptors, excel at detail and depth, they lack the wide-field motion awareness of compound eyes. Insects also outshine us in speed, detecting rapid movements crucial for survival.

Many insects see ultraviolet light—something humans can’t. This unique vision aids in finding food, communication, and mating. Compound eyes are a brilliant mix of structure and function!

Hypnotic Disc

Take a moment to focus on the circular pattern. How many spirals do you see? The surprising answer is none. There are no spirals here—just alternating black and yellow discs, slightly off-center and layered to create a striking illusion of swirling depth and motion.

© G. Sarcone, 1990

I began crafting pieces like this in the early ’90s, drawing inspiration from Duchamp’s Rotoreliefs. I was captivated by how simple rotation could deceive the eye, inviting the viewer into a world of optical illusions. It’s a unique experience—seeing motion and depth in something entirely flat, both puzzling and mesmerizing.

This op art pattern comes to life across various mediums and transforms into artistic expressions on different objects. In my online gallery, you’ll find art prints and everyday items featuring this work, all available for purchase.

The Enigmatic Caroline Rivière

Caroline Rivière, a French girl immortalized in Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres’ 1806 masterpiece “Portrait of Caroline Rivière”, remains a striking figure in art history. This iconic painting frequently graces book covers, thanks to its timeless and deeply evocative qualities. Caroline is depicted as a delicate young woman in a serene, contemplative pose, her gaze imbued with an air of mystery and quiet melancholy. Tragically, she passed away at just 15 years old, shortly after Ingres completed the portrait.


This poignant backstory heightens the emotional resonance of her image, symbolizing the fragility of youth and the transient nature of beauty. It’s this haunting combination of innocence and impermanence that makes the portrait so appealing to publishers and audiences alike. Whether adorning the covers of literary classics, historical novels, or introspective works, Caroline Rivière’s likeness evokes themes of nostalgia, identity, and human vulnerability, bridging the gap between art and storytelling. Her enduring presence on bookshelves speaks to the universal, timeless appeal of Ingres’ artistry.

Even Lady Gaga was moved by this iconic painting, as she posed for filmmaker Robert Wilson, who created a strikingly similar piece—a close video replica of Ingres’ portrait, reinterpreted in his own unique style, incorporating subtle movements and nuanced expressions that added a dynamic dimension to its timeless stillness.