Poems of W. B. Yeats Yeats, W. B.; Vendler, Helen (Editor); Diebenkorn, Richard (Artist) Andrew Hoyem and Arion Press (New),Poetry

Quarto, 10 1/4 inches by 8 inches, 202 numbered pages plus 24 unnumbered pages for the half-titles, poetry excerpts, and etching leaves (226 pages total). The type is Baskerville, in Monotype composition by Mackenzie & Harris, and handset for display. The titles are handset Worrell Uncial, printed in red. The etchings were proofed at Crown Point Press in San Francisco, and the plates were editioned by R.E. Townsend in Georgetown, Massachusetts. The paper is Somerset, mould-made in England. The binding, done in-house, is hand-sewn with the etchings tipped to stubs and sewn through, with a red leather spine, green cloth sides, and gold spine titling. The slipcase has the same cloth on the edges with red paper sides and a paper spine label. During discussions between Hoyem and Helen Vendler about making a selection of Yeats' poems for an artist book, she proposed Richard Diebenkorn (1922-1993). Yeats was his favorite poet; he had read the poetry since his youth. Diebenkorn was aware of the Wallace Stevens selection by Vendler for Arion Press, and during a meeting at his home and studio in Healdsburg, California, he said that the Jasper Johns etching as a frontispiece was not sufficient for the book, in his opinion, and that he would do more to honor Yeats. The six etchings begin with a double map of Ireland, positive and negative, with an excerpt from "I am of Ireland" that ends "But time runs on, runs on." Then appear five images of coats, from reprensentational to abstract to a recombination, as if retracing the stylistic stages of his whole career, anding with an indicator of a new direction. The coats were inspiried by a drawing he had made for his mother during World War II showing his Marine Corps tunic on a hanger on an opn closet door. Its foreboding emptiness upset her, so she rolled it up and put it away in a dresser drawer, only to be found after her death. When Hoyem and Ketcham visited the Diebenkorns in their home, the drawing was framed in one corner of the living room. Adjacent, on the next wall was another work of Diebenkiorn, about the same size: a recent abstract of a cost or a suit bag or a body bag. The edition consisted of of 400 numbered copies, plus 26 lettered copies hors de commerce, signed by the artist. ___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details. ___Swan's Fine Books is pleased to be a member of the ABAA, ILAB, and IOBA and we stand behind every book we sell. Please contact us with any questions you may have, we are here to help.