The Writer’s Brush: Paintings, Drawings, and Sculpture by Writers Donald Friedman Welcome, 480pp, £25

It shouldn’t be a surprise that those who put pen to paper should like putting a brush to the page, as well. The only surprise is that there are so many of them: from Marcel Proust to Patti Smith, few have resisted the urge to draw, paint or sculpt. Friedman’s book, lovingly researched, is very much for the coffee table: not only due to its size, but because it can’t really be absorbed as a whole.

Thanks to the amount of writers, nationalities and eras delved into, there is no limit on the themes – or even the quality. Those who are daunted by Proust will be glad to know that his sketches are quite unaccomplished: his drawing

Á l’ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs is a much lighter proposition than the book of that name. But it is interesting to see how geniuses use other parts of their brains. At any rate, most are very skilled.

Other highlights are writers who use both pen and brush for their art: from the stark monochromes of Art Spiegelman’s award-winning memoirs Maus, to the delicate drawings that complete Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince, these have a real visual identity. In an accompanying essay, John Updike quotes Joseph Conrad to state the mutual goal of word and image: “To make you see.” This offers some valuable insights.

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