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Tag Archives: etching

Book of the Week — On Painting

17 Monday Jul 2017

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aquating, architecture, blind, Brunelleschi, carborundum, copper, copperplate oil, Donatello, drypoint, engineering, etching, Florence, goatskin, inks, intaglio, Italian, Leon Battista Alberti, London, Masaccio, mathematics, mezzoting, Michael R. Thompson Rare Books, painter, Perspex, pigments, poetry, Prose, relief, sand grain, sculpture, Susan Allix, Tuscan, zinc

ND1130-A4813-1999-ColorBlock
“Colour and light have an important relationship in the act of seeing…colours multiply among themselves, but, like the elements, there are only four true colours from which other species of colour are born. There is red, the colour of fire; blue, of air; green, of water; and earth, ashen grey…from these four colours according to the addition of light or dark, black or white, are made innumerable other hues. Therefore the mixing in of white will not change the basic colour, but just make tints;’ and black has a similar power, with its addition making an almost infinite number of colours. You can see colours alter in the shade; when the shade deepens the colours fade, when the light brightens they become brighter and clearer.” — Leon Battista Alberti

ON PAINTING
Leon Battista Alberti (1401-1472) and Susan Allix
London: 1999
ND1130 A4813 1999

Leon Alberti was born in 1401 in Florence. His art was influenced by the work of Brunelleschi, Donatello, and Masaccio. He wrote On Painting in order to “set forth principles to be followed by the painter.” Alberti then turned his attention to architecture, for which he is better remembered today. He wrote De Re Aedificatoria and received several commissions for building projects. He had a deep understanding of the classical past, but an eye for contemporary change. He wrote on sculpture, poetry, prose, mathematics, engineering and other topics. His work was studied by generations of artists.

ND1130-A4813-1999-Power

This translation of On Painting is by Susan Allix, based on the Italian text published in L. B. Alberti, Opere Volgari, Volume Terzo. Allix writes, “This translation…is a painter’s translation and includes those parts that seem to hold, for the present, the most important of Alberti’s ideas…it has been extensively abridged to prevent it from becoming several volumes.”

In a letter to Michael R. Thompson Rare Books, Allix wrote, “One day I started to read Alberti’s book and was astounded at his idea that everything begins with a dot. I spent a long time struggling away with fifteenth century Tuscan (helped with a more modern translation), but present Italian hasn’t altered so much and I did find it readable. I wanted my own translation. Slightly unprofessionally some of this was done in the afternoon quiet of an Italian camping site. One interesting page is where I followed Alberti’s instructions on how to achieve a squared pavement. So complicated, I never believed it would work, but lo and behold the perspective of the squared pavement appeared!”

ND1130-A4813-1999-TheFirst

This edition contains twenty-eight intaglio prints, the result of four years of sketchbook observation and drawing, plate-making and reworking the plates. The prints were made from copper, zinc, and Perspex plates, and contain a wide variety of techniques. There is etching, drypoint, and mezzotint, often in combination, and also open bite, aquatint, sand grain, and carborundum. The plates have been printed black and white and color in intaglio, relief and blind. All the inks are made from pure pigments ground in copperplate oil, so interleaving sheets is necessary to stop the plates from offsetting. As each plate is hand-inked and printed separately, complete uniformity is not possible. Twenty of the prints are in color, seven in black and white, one in blind, and many have extra hand-coloring on the prints or the type. The first ten copies, of which this is number three, have watercolor and pencil paintings on Japanese paper between each of the three of Alberti’s books.

Bound in full cream goatskin, upper cover tinted with a border of darker purple dye, extending to the spine, and an abstract design of other lighter tints and various colored goatskin onlays with textured endpapers.

ND1130-A4813-1999-Cover

Rare Books copy has holographic letter written in ink on both sides of the press’s stationary from Allix to book collector Denis Collins, prospectus, and biographical article about the author, entitled “God is in the datail,” laid in. Signed in ink on the verso of the front flyleaf: “For Denis/with warmest regards/Susan/11 April 2000.” Collins’ stamp on recto of terminal endpaper. One of twenty-two copies, numbered and signed by the artist.

ND1130-A4813-1999-Reclining
ND1130-A4813-1999-WomanSea

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Book of the Week – THE WORKS OF VIRGIL: CONTAINING HIS PASTORALS,…

22 Tuesday Sep 2015

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Aeneas, Aeneid, Alexander Pope, Antwerp, Augustus, coats of arms, Cologne, Earl of Arundel, England, English, engraved plates, engraving, etching, Frankfurt, Great Fire of 1666, illustration, Jacob Tonson, John Dryden, London, Marcellus, Matthaus Merian, Octavia, Parliament, pastorals, patronage, Prague, Prince of Wales, subscription, Thomas Howard, translation, verse, Virgil, Wenzal Hollar (1607-1677), William III


THE WORKS OF VIRGIL: CONTAINING HIS PASTORALS,…
London: Printed for Jacob Tonson, 1697
First edition
PA6807 .A1 D7 1697

Translated into English verse by John Dryden. Alexander Pope called Dryden’s translation “the most noble and spirited translation I know in any language.” The book was published by subscription, a method of publishing by which the subscriber’s patronage enabled the production of particularly lavish books. In all, one hundred and one persons subscribed. For five guineas they would each have a full-page illustration in their copy with their names and coat of arms. A second subscription list went out after Dryden had completed half the translation. These subscribers paid two guineas for their copy, which did not include plates dedicated to them. Two hundred and fifty copies were added for this list. Correspondence between Dryden and Jacob Tonson reveal several arguments during the publication process. One such quarrel evolved over the desire of Tonson to dedicate the book to William III and Dryden’s refusal to do so. Tonson made sure that the engravings were adapted so that Aeneas sported a hooked nose a la William. Illustrated with one hundred and one engraved plates by Wenzel Hollar (1607-1677) as well as an engraved title-page and a full-page engraving of Virgil reciting the Marcellus passage in Aeneid Bk VI to Augustus and Octavia. Hollar, born in Prague, studied engraving in Frankfurt in 1627 with publisher Matthaus Merian. In 1633, he was working in Cologne. Under the patronage of Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel, he moved to England in 1637, where he taught drawing to the Prince of Wales. He fought in the ranks of the King, was captured by Parliament and escaped to Antwerp in 1644. He returned to London in 1652, where he died in poverty. A master etcher he was recognized in his own time and to this day for his work, producing nearly three thousand plates, many of which illustrated books such as this. He is best known for his etchings of London after the Great Fire of 1666. He married and had a daughter, described by a contemporary as “one of the greatest beauties I have seen.” A son died in the plague. He had several children by a second wife. Bound in contemporary speckled calf, the spine tooled in gold.

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Rare Books goes downstairs!

04 Friday Sep 2015

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accordion fold, Anita Wetzel, Ann Kalmbach, aquatint spit bite, Barbara Leoff Burge, Blue Heron Press, Book Arts Program, copper plates, Crane Giamo, drypoint, Emily Tipps, etching, Greek, Hilda Raz, Hudson Valley, Ian Godfrey, Italian Alcantara, J. Willard Marriott Library, Jocasta, Karen Kunc, Katherine W. Dumke Fine Arts and Architecture Library, letterpress, Lincoln, Lori Spencer, Luise Poulton, Luke Leither, Lynda Sock, Marnie Powers-Torrey, Nancy W. Diessner, National Endowment for the Arts, Nebraska, New York, New York State Council of the Arts, Oedipus, Oracle, Paul Muhly, pop-up, rare books, Research Council, Romulus 11 point, Rosendale, Ryan Ninete, Shawangunk Mountains, Sophocles, Susan Elizabeth King, Tatana Kellner, tetraflexagon, The University of Utah, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Women's Studio Workshop

Rare Books joins forces with the Book Arts Program and the Katherine W. Dumke Fine Arts & Architecture Library to curate an exhibition of the J. Willard Marriott Library’s holdings from the Women’s Studio Workshop.

Friday, September 4 through Saturday, November 25
Level 1 atrium, Level 1 wall cases
J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah
Curators: Crane Giamo, Ian Godfrey, Luke Leither, Marnie Powers-Torrey, Luise Poulton, Emily Tipps

Committed to developing an alternative space for artists to create new work and share skills, Ann Kalmbach, Tatana Kellner, Anita Wetzel, and Barbara Leoff Burge founded the Women’s Studio Workshop in 1974. Public programming included a regular workshop series, as well as special programs that featured the work of women artists. The intention was to exhibit the work of women artists as well as provide professional experiences for the artists themselves.

Still going strong, Women’s Studio Workshop is housed in a historic building located in the foothills of the Hudson Valley’s Shawangunk Mountains. Artists can take workshops, rent the studios, schedule private instruction, or apply for artist residencies.

Rare Books featured work from the Women’s Studio Workshop in its 2009 exhibition, “The Feminine Touch: Women and the Work of the Book.”

N7433.4-K5-Q84a

Queen of Wands: a paper sculpture
Susan Elizabeth King (b. 1947)
Rosendale, NY: Women’s Studio Workshop; Santa Monica, CA: Paradise Press, 1993
N7433.4.K5 Q84 1993

Issued in clear plastic envelope with seal bearing title and author. Two cards are enclosed which bear publication information and instructions for operating. Paper construction uses the tetra-tetraflexagon form. Printed offset by Paul Muhly.

PS3568-A97-T78-1998

Truly Bone: poems
Hilda Raz
Rosendale, NY: Women’s Studio Workshop; Lincoln, NE: Blue Heron Press, 1998
PS3568 A97 T78 1998

Two attached sheets, folded accordion style into twenty pages attached front and back to tan-colored endpapers. Sheets and endpapers are within tan and beige-colored wrappers with flaps. Text is letterpress printed in black typeface. The type is Romulus 11 point. Images are etching, aquatint spit bite, and drypoint from multiple copper plates using sixteen colors. The paper is cream Italian Alcantara. The production of this book was supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, and the Research Council, University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Book production by Karen Kunc with the help of interns Ryan Ninete and Lynda Sock. Edition of fifty copies, signed by the poet and Karen Kunc. University of Utah copy is no. 47.


Shared Memories
Lori Spencer
New York: Women’s Studio Workshop, 1998
N7433.4.S691 S53 1998

Short prose pieces on a simple pop-up structure. Illustrated with photographic images. Handbound and issued in paper slipcase. Edition of 90 copies. University of Utah copy is no. 30, signed by author.

N7433.4-D535-B6-2001-FoldOutImage-180

A Book of Myths and Fates
Nancy W. Diessner
N7433.4.D535 B6 2001

New York?: Women’s Studio Workshop, 2001
Inspired by three characters in Sophocles’ ancient Greek tragedy, Oedipus Rex. The Oracle, Jocasta, and Oedipus correspond respectively to the spiritual, sensual and intellectual elements of the human experience. Three sections illustrate each state. In each section, the pages fold out from a central pair of black and white images. Digitally printed. Bound with a soft, wrap-around cover. Edition of eighty copies. University of Utah copy is no. 26.

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Book of the Week – Seven of Aesop’s Fables

05 Monday Aug 2013

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Aesop, copper, drafting film, etching, fables, George Fyler Townsend, goat vellum, Grafix, Joel Tabachnick, laser print, letterpress, line art, Mary Laird, Mohawk, Pergamom, Quelquefois Press, Samantha Hamady, Susi Schneider

Seven of Aesop’s Fables, 2008, Cover
Seven of Aesop’s Fables, 2008, The Ant and the Dove
Seven of Aesop’s Fables, 2008, The Ant and the Dove

Seven of Aesop’s Fables
Berkeley, CA: Quelquefois Press, 2008
Z239 Q39 A37 2008

Translation by Rev. George Fyler Townsend. From the colophon: “Samantha Hamady created the whimsical line art for the text. Joel Tabachnick coaxed the likes of an ancient copper box from an old etching plate in my closet. And I, Mary Laird, teamed up an ounce of my letterpress with a pound of alligator computer, to laser print this book on Mohawk 100 # text and Grafix drafting film. Susi Schneider gave me the goat vellum from Pergamom tanners which I used for the binding…” Edition of six copies. University of Utah copy is no. 4.

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