Instituto Cubano del Libro - Editorial Arte y Literatura - Colección Cocuyo (cover designer: Raúl Martínez, illustrator: Roberto Diago, editor: Pilar Fuente, author: Eliseo Diego), "Divertimentos," January 1975. Offset print, book.

The cover of "Divertimentos" features Raúl Martínez's striking design with a vibrant red background showcasing an ornate baroque-style fountain crowned by a surrealist black beetle figure. The juxtaposition of the classical decorative urn with the insect creates a whimsical yet elegant composition that perfectly captures the playful spirit of Diego's "miniatures of curious organization." Roberto Diago's interior illustrations complement this aesthetic, bringing visual life to the author's compact narratives. The design exemplifies the sophisticated visual language of the Colección Cocuyo series, which aimed to present Cuban literature with both artistic merit and accessible appeal.

Published in January 1975 with an initial run of 30,000 copies, "Divertimentos" represents a republication of brief stories originally written for Diego's fiancée and small circle of friends in 1946. These miniature tales showcase Diego's literary craftsmanship through concision, forceful impact, and what the author describes as moments caught "like lightning glimpsed through the darkness of inner silence." The text reveals Diego's passion for Mozart and the Spanish literary classics, particularly "El Libro de los Ejemplos del Conde Lucanor y de Patronio."

Eliseo Diego (1920-1994, Havana) was one of Cuba's most distinguished poets and a founding member of the influential Orígenes literary group. Beginning his publishing career in 1942 with "En las oscuras manos del olvido," Diego went on to produce seminal works including "En la Calzada de Jesús del Monte" (1949), "Por los extraños pueblos" (1958), "Muestrario del mundo o Libro de las maravillas de Boloña" (1968), "Versiones" (1970), and "Nombrar las cosas" (1973). Beyond poetry, Diego cultivated the poetic essay and directed the Department of Literature and Children's Narratives at the Biblioteca Nacional. He served on the Executive Bureau of UNEAC's Literature Section, playing a crucial role in shaping post-revolutionary Cuban letters.