Paperblanks 2026–2027 Picaresque Maxi Hardback 18-Month Diary – Week-to-View Vertical

Plan eighteen months ahead in style with this 2026–2027 Picaresque maxi hardback diary from Paperblanks, running from July 2026 to December 2027 in a week-to-view vertical layout, with each day set out in its own column across two facing pages.

The archetype of the appealing anti-hero is encapsulated in Gil Blas, the star of Alain-René Lesage’s 18th-century picaresque novel. Lesage’s work was influenced by the story Lazarillo de Tormes, a Spanish novella published anonymously in 1554. The cover of an 1846 double publication of those works is reproduced here.

The Story Behind the Design

Don Quixote, Samuel Pickwick, Sebastian Dangerfield, Huckleberry Finn... the archetype of the rascally yet endearing rogue is one with which we are all familiar, though we may not know its origins. And perhaps no character encapsulates what it means to be an appealing anti-hero more than Gil Blas, the star of Alain-René Lesage’s picaresque novel by the same name.

Picaresque novels blend elements of comedy and satire in their depictions of a lovable charlatan. Published in the early 1700s, Gil Blas has been described by Edgar Allan Poe as being among “the finest narratives in the world” and was a key item on Thomas Jefferson’s reading list. And though it has come to define the genre, Lesage’s work itself was influenced by the story Lazarillo de Tormes, a novella published anonymously in 1554. This Spanish work is what gives us the term “picaresque,” stemming from picaresca, meaning “rascal,” and it established the key features of a “picaro” character – a lower-class person surviving by their own wits in what is seen as a corrupt or unjust society.

These two foundational works of the picaresque genre were published together in 1846, and our cover design recreates that publication’s binding. May the spirits of the charming rapscallions Gil Blas and Lázaro inspire you to go rogue and ramble on in your own quixotic adventures.

• Original artwork: Book binding containing Gil Blas and Lazarillo de Tormes
• Era: 1846 binding, 16th- and 18th-century stories
• Region: France

Product Details

• Size: Maxi – 135 × 210 × 18 mm
• Date range: July 2026 – December 2027
• Layout: Week-to-View Vertical
• Language: English
• Pages: 224 (112 sheets)
• Paper: 80 gsm acid-free smooth paper
• Cover: Hardback
• Closure: Elastic band
• Binding: Smyth sewn – lies flat and stays durable
• Corners: Rounded
• Pouch: Back cover pouch
• Design: Picaresque
• 100% recycled binder boards
• Decorative printed cover paper
• Printed on acid-free paper
• Threaded stitching and glue, as needed
• 2 satin ribbon markers
• Memento pouch
• Name plate
• Monthly planner
• Conversion tables
• Year planner
• International dialling codes
• Mini calendars
• International holidays
• National holidays
• World time zones
• Note-taking pages
• Weight: 590 g
• Product code: DE1883-5 | ISBN: 9780349718835

About Paperblanks

Paperblanks works with museums, libraries, galleries and artists around the world to faithfully reproduce remarkable artwork, historic bindings and treasured manuscripts. Every book is made to last, with binder boards crafted from 100% recycled materials, and the back endpaper tells the fascinating story behind the cover design and credits its creators.