MOSTLY CLASSICAL
Artist books mostly in the classical tradition
but also historical, tragical, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral... A library from Elsinore.
As well as creating contemporary artist books of illuminated poems, wealthy bibliophiles would also commission or subscribe to lushly illustrated editions of the great pastoral works set in exquisite typography.
The Flowerdew Press has produced a series of such books, matching the engravings of the grand French illustrators with contemporaneous translations of the texts that inspired them.
The series continues with other works presented in a similar manner, and adds some editions illustrated with illustrations of the time.
They are all presented in a square format to accommodate the variety of original books as a uniform series.
WORKS AND DAYS
Hesiod
The great poetic cycle of Hesiod of Boeotia, the original of the legend of Pandora's box. This edition sets the White translation in the form of the Belle Epoque bilingual French edition with the original typography and lettrines, together with the the Colin engravings and decorations.
THE IDYLLS
Solomon Gessner
The Swiss artist and poet Solomon Gessner single-handedly revived the pastoral tradition, which spread from his example throughout 17th century Europe. This is a new translation illustrated with VIbert's stunning Cameaux woodcuts from a deluxe French edition of 1910.
(Comng soon)
DEATH AND THE PLOUGHMAN'S WIFE
William Strang
The great Scottish artist William Strang made two artists books, writing strange Lallans folk ballads, and making Durer-like etchings to match them.
Death and the Ploughman's Wife tells the story of a kind deed rewarded and how a loving mother tricked Death into sparing her baby,
This is a new edition, not a scan of the original, and it features restored scans of the original engravings with reset text in a recreated font.
THE EARTH FIEND
William Strang
The great Scottish artist William Strang made two artists books, writing strange Lallans folk ballads, and making Durer-like etchings to match them.
The Earth Fiend tells the story of how a poor farmer makes an unfortunate pact with a demon,
This is a new edition, not a scan of the original, and it features restored scans of the original engravings with reset text in a recreated font.