Ancient Book Riddle
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Archival giclée on 90lb watercolor paper with a matte finish.
Size: 13” x 19” / 33 x 48 cm.
Limited edition of 150 prints, each signed and numbered.
Texts: Extracts from medieval riddle songs about the making of manuscripts from ox-hide, (dumb animal now bearing words, as a book) and writing with a quill pen (the bird’s once wind-stiff joy).
Artist's notes: I used a 'hybrid'
script derived from combining characteristics of Celtic half-uncial
with a sympathetic form of italic. The illustrations feature an ox at left, and
the book that it becomes at right. The book displays a 'carpet page' (it's practically a flying carpet in itself!), which is made
up of repetitions of the cows face from the other illustration. There's a lot of detail in subtle colors
relating to the natural tones of the vellum pages- complex Celtic spiral
patterns were constructed geometrically with compasses, in contrast
to the multitude of freehand flourishes, drawn with fast pen strokes,
many of which terminate small drawn animal heads.
LONG LASTING ARCHIVAL
MEDIA
Printed from an Epson 3800 using Epson’s 9-color UltraChrome ink system at 2880 dpi on Epson acid free watercolor paper, a combination to ensure long lasting quality. Wilhelm Imaging Research (www.wilhelm-research.com), suggest prints using this combination of ink and media will last for over 90 years without appreciable fading, based on indoor display framed under glass. Dark Storage Stability Rating at 73°F/50%RH is indicated to last over 200 years. Detail is super fine at this resolution, almost 10 times finer than commercial printing, so that even under a magnifying glass, prints hold up to close scrutiny.
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