Two years after the first part of graphic novel ‘The Name of the Rose’, arrives in bookstores on November 28thsecond and final volume of Milo Manara’s adaptation of the masterpiece ofUmberto Ecowhich in 1980 won the Premio Strega. Again published by Oblomov Edizioni, the new book comes to the conclusion of a project that is the result of years of work and which saw the publication of the first chapter in 2023.
An adaptation designed to restore in visual form one of the most translated and read Italian novels in the world.‘The Name of the Rose – Vol.2’ is an elegant 72-page hardback in color which completes the masterful interpretation ofMilo Manaraof Umberto Eco’s masterpiece, a45 years since its first edition.
Three graphic styles for a literary masterpiece
A precious work that he puts on paperthree distinct graphic styleswhich intersect in pursuit of visual perfection. Each one tells an aspect of Eco’s book: the sculptures, the reliefs of the portals and thewonderful and surreal marginaliawhich accompany the illuminated books in the library; TheAdso’s Bildungsromanwith the discovery of sensuality and Woman; the historical story ofDolcinianiwhose themes of poverty of the least, non-homologation, persecuted diversity, dissent are crucial even today. ‘The Name of the Rose’ by Manara therefore finds its space in the literary “matryoshka” operation of Eco’s book, which is also abook about books: not a superfluous transcription, but a wonderful onevisual gloss.
Complete exhibition in Milan and celebrations
This afternoon at theVolvo Studio in Milanthe inauguration of thefirst full exhibitionof the tables taken from the first and second volumes. The evening will be attended by Chiara Angeli,Milo Manara, Nicola Piovani and Elisabetta Sgarbi; the meeting will close with a concert by Nicola Piovani. The exhibition curated by Elisabetta Sgarbi, an exhibition project by Luca Volpatti, can be visited untilJanuary 15, 2026. The exhibition catalog is published by the Elisabetta Sgarbi Foundation. The exhibition also takes on a particular meaning because it falls on the occasion of45 years since the release of Umberto Eco’s noveland among the celebrations of80 years of Milo Manaraoffering the public the opportunity to reread the work in onenew visual key.
Milo Manara’s international career
Milo Manara is one ofItalian comics masterscelebrated internationally. His consecration took place in the mid-70s with ‘Lo Scimmiotto’ (screenplay by Silverio Pisu), ‘HP and Giuseppe Bergman’, ‘The Snowman’ (screenplay by Alfredo Castelli) and the second episode of ‘Bergman’. They follow ‘The Paper Man’ and ‘It all began again with an Indian summer’which marks the first collaboration withHugo Pratt. With ‘Il Gioco’ Manara’s production is oriented towardseroticism in shortas confirmed by the subsequent ‘The perfume of the invisible’ and ‘Candid Camera’.
In the same period, from a subject ofFederico FelliniManara adapts ‘Trip to Tulum’. The great director’s relationship with Manara is very strong to the point of entrusting the designer with this screenplay and another, much loved one, ‘The journey of G. Mastorna, known as Fernet’after he realized he would never find the financing to make a film of it. We are in the 90s and Manara also publishes ‘El Gaucho’ (lyrics by Pratt) and ‘Il Gioco 2’. In the new millennium ‘Three girls in the network’ and ‘Escape from Piranesi’ are released and ’46’, of which he is the protagonistValentino Rossi. Manara has also collaborated with some prestigious international screenwriters: Jodorowsky (I Borgia), Gaiman (The Sandman: Endless Nights) e Claremont (X-Men: Girl on Run)