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The Auden/Moore limited edition book and portfolio were exhibited on publication at the British Museum, London, with an accompanying catalogue. Sketches of Auden is one of a group of lithographs presented with the work of poet W.H. Auden (1907-1973). Not conceived as illustrations, Moore wanted his landscape and figure works to stand alone, complementing or contrasting with Auden’s poetry. He and Auden were both from Yorkshire, and the dark landscapes that Moore produced for the project evoke the industrial nature and rugged moors of the area.
AUDEN POEMS/MOORE LITHOGRAPHS is a book of poems with images based on selections from W. H. Auden’s writings. Henry Moore drew the lithographs from February to December 1973. They were proofed in London from plates by Stanley Jones at the Curwer Studios and from stones and plates by Bud Shark at the Petersburg Press. Vera Lindsay devised and edited the project.
The text selections were made by Nikos Stangos with the consent of the poet and his publisher, Faber & Faber. London. Eric Avers was the graphic designer. The type was set in Times Roman at the University Press, Oxford by Vivian Ridler. Printer to the University The text and images in the bound books were editioned in Zürich by J. E. Wolfensberger: and the portfolio images were editioned in London by the Curwen Studios and Petersburg Press.
The Hodgkinson paper was made with the watermarks of the artist, the poet, and the press by St. Cuthbert’s Mill in Wells to a finished size of 16 × 13″ for the book, and 25″ × 20″ for the portfolio. The books and portfolios were bound by Rudolf Rieser of Oherelvenich Germany.
The book and images exist in the following editions:
The edition (A) for Europe consists of 150 books bound in red linen. each signed by the artist and numbered in roman numerals and accompanied by four loose images signed by the artist and numbered.
The loose images are ‘Cavern’ ‘Lullaby: Sleeping Head’ ‘Split-stone’ and ‘Garsdale’. The edition (B) for the Americas consists of 150 books bound in green linen each signed by the artist and numbered in Arabic numerals and accompanied by four loose images signed by the artist and numbered.
The loose images are ‘Multitude II’, ‘Thin-lipped Armorer’, ‘Fiord’, and ‘Forest. The portfolio (C) consists of eighteen lithographs signed and numbered by the artist in an edition of 75.
Seven of the portfolio images do not appear in the bound book. They are however an intrinsic part of the project. There are 25 impressions de tête. Artist proofs and Cancellation proofs are on record. Petersburg Press, London is the Publisher.
