Leading the Cranes Home

Llandogo, Monmouthshire: The Old Stile Press, 2006. Limited Edition. Stiff wraps. Fine. Kiggell, Ralph. Number VI of X of the Special Edition, folio size, [56] pp., signed by Ralph Kiggell, together with a suite of four signed prints. A selection of Chinese poems from "170 Chinese Poems" 1918, and "Chinese Poems" 1946, translated by Arthur David Waley (1889-1966). Waley performed the remarkable feat of teaching himself both classical Chinese and Japanese, and using those skills to translate the high points of literature from each culture for the English-reading public. He was the translator of "The Tale of Genji", as well as many other now well-known Chinese and Japanese pieces of literature, with many of his translations still in print today. He served as a sort of unofficial ambassador of the East to the West, and greatly admired their literature and art, although he never visited either country.

The poems that artist Ralph Kiggell selected for this work move in chronological order, dating from the Han Dynasty to the Sung Dynasty. The poems chosen were those that inspired Kiggell, who specializes in woodblock prints. He studied traditional woodblock printing techniques at the atelier of the Yoshida family in Tokyo, and later in Kyoto with Akira Kurosaki, and also completed a Master's course in woodblock printmaking at Tama Art University with Fukita Fumiaki and Keisei Kobayashi. His work tends to find strength in collaboration; the subjects are often animals, plants, and landscapes, and he has illustrated other works for The Old Stile Press, most notably "The Third Thing" published in 2013.

___DESCRIPTION: Case-bound, stiff orange wraps with two two-colour woodblock prints of Chrysanthemums spanning the length of the covers, with rust lettering stamped to the backstrip, fore- and tail-edges uncut, aqua green endpapers, title page a double-spread illustration of a crane with a man walking in the distance in three colours, two- or three-colour woodblock prints (some two-page spreads) throughout; Elizabeth type, Velin Arches paper, folio size (13" by 11.5"), [56] unnumbered pp., limited edition, Special Edition number VI of X, signed by Ralph Kiggell. With a stiff portfolio covered with matching orange paper and lined with matching green paper which houses a suite of four prints that also appear in the book, however, using up to five colours in the separate print, each print signed, titled and numbered by the artist in pencil, each protected with a tissue wrap; all housed in a beige linen covered fall-down-back box, with an illustrated label to the upper cover, lined in brown suede.

___CONDITION: A fine copy; the covers clean, the corners straight and unrubbed, the binding tight with solid hinges, the interior clean and bright, and free of prior owner markings; clean, crisp, as new. The suite of prints and their portfolio also fine, clean and without wear; the box also fine, strong and sturdy, clean and entirely free of wear. Overall a stunning production, with the artwork perfectly complementing the delicate poetry.

___POSTAGE: Please note that due to the size and weight of this work additional postage may apply; we are happy to ship at cost to both domestic and international customers, please inquire for details.

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