Madsack, Paul - The Black Magician

Artist Kukuma makes a deal with – well, please, not the Devil. After all, he has so many names, so many guises. And makes so many “arrangements”.
Kukuma, now rebranded as Aventino, is soon a fast-rising sculptor and artist, a powerful influencer of the sheeple. As ever was, followers love to be guided, told what to do, so they do not have to think, or attempt to think.
Chief opponent to Aventino is fellow artist and firm friend, Fiedler. Fiedler’s admiration is wary; he resists where others succumb.
Then there is the Chinese mannequin, who dispenses advice within dreams:

“Distrust the Black Magician who borrows the halo of virtue. He knows how to turn words beautifully and plays the wrong game with human destiny. Do not let yourself be blinded by the appearance of doing good, the devil has always been one who only leases pleasure and joy. From his black cornucopia he scatters gifts like gold and silver, but it is nothing but dust and ashes, just blinding people’s eyes.”

A subversive novel, darkly comical, written during the Weimar era (which nations seem to be foolishly repeating), reflecting events, and cannily predicting the misery caused when entrusting the strong man, the embittered soul, to take the helm of their fates.