The Novices of Sais With illustrations by Paul Klee

Novalis is one of the towering figures of German Romanticism. The Novices of Sais, translated from the German into French in 1925, received enthusiastic recognition by artists and poets alike and is often quoted by the surrealists. The text is a lyrical combination of Romantic emotion combined with a profound fascination with nature. In 1949, the novel was translated into English by Ralph Manheim and accompanied by 60 original drawings by Paul Klee. With an introduction by Stephen Spender. Friedrich von Hardenberg, who wrote under the pen name Novalis, died at the age of 29 in 1801. His Hymns to the Night is considered one of the great pillars of German Romanticism.

Novalis (Friedrich von Hardenberg) is one of the great pillars of German Romanticism. He is perhaps best known for his volume of poetry Hymns to the Night and his novel Heinrich von Ofterdingen —where his elusive "blue flower" was planted. He died at the age of 29 in 1801. Ralph Manheim was one of the great translators of the 20th century. He translated the works of Günter Grass, Bertolt Brecht, Louis-Ferdinand Céline, and Hermann Hesse, among others. The PEN/ Ralph Manheim Medal for Translation is a major lifetime achievement award in the field of translation.