#ArtsyFriday
“A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” - John Keats
This artists’ book--truly a thing of beauty!--was pulled this week for the visiting lecture from Brian Rejack (Associate Professor of English, Illinois State University) in UI English Professor Eric Gidal’s ‘Romanticism and Ecocritical Book Studies’ course which is using special collections materials throughout the semester. Illustrating a John Keat’s poem, the artist uses “calligrams” (calligraphy and line as image) and printed verses to translate the three, eleven-line stanzas onto double page spreads. Created by David Esslemont in 2008 with Solmentes Press in Decorah, Iowa, this artists’ book was printed in four editions; our library copy is bound in quarter-cloth with a handdrawn title from the artist. The book was digitally printed; when viewed altogether, the images form an abstract view of a maple tree in fall colors.
The poem’s first reference is found in a letter from the poet to his friend John Reynolds in September of 1819. To learn more about the life of John Keats through his letters, check out the Keats Letter Project, which posts commentary along with a copy of a Keats letter on the 200th anniversary of each correspondence. It’s a fascinating project to learn more about the poet behind the lines and the Romantic period.
--Laura
x-Collection FOLIO PR4834 .T63 2008
Composite image from artist’s website