The Brangwyn Portfolio: P.14935-R

Current Location: In storage

Titles

The Brangwyn Portfolio
The Brangwyn Portfolio (vol.2)

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Brangwyn, Frank
Author: Richepin, Jean
Author: Verhaeren, Émile
Publisher: D'Alignan, E.F.
Publisher: Turpin, Paul
Draughtsman: Brangwyn, Frank (After)

Entities

Portfolio

Description

Edition 106/120 (written on the title page of vol.1). A hardbacked portfolio (670mm x 470mm) with a tan-coloured cloth spine and outer edges and paper-covered boards of cream, black and tan, the front board with a geometric border design and central band containing 'BRANGWYN' in elongated, stylised lettering. The interior boards are covered in a textured, handmade paper of undulating leaf and stem design printed in blue-green ink.

Legal notes

Given by Frank Brangwyn, May 1935

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1935-06) by Brangwyn, Frank

Dating

20th Century
Production date: AD 1927

Note

Frank Brangwyn: His Work 1923-1927', volume 2, published by E. F. D'Alignan and P. Turpin, Paris, 1927; a portfolio of Brangwyn's works, reproduced by various methods in colour (and generally reduced in size from the originals), comprising 44 photomechanical prints after unpublished drawings and watercolours and with 6 original etchings. With two accompanying essays in French printed on large sheets (610mm x 915mm); 'Brangwyn L'Unique' by French poet Jean Richepin (as director of the French Academy) and 'Frank Brangwyn' by Belgian poet, Émile Verhaeren, which was originally published in "Le Figaro", 26 January 1912. An additional sheet insert lists the plates (LI - LXXV) with a headpiece illustration of Brangwyn's woodcut, _The Storm_ (original, British Museum, 1943,1211.466). With additional letterpress doublepage English translation of Richepin's essay and the list of plates ('List of Illustrations: Frank Brangwyn 1929', the date reflecting the later publication of the english translation and not that of the folio) printed on a smaller sheet. The Brangwyn Portfolio (2 vols) was formulated by Brangwyn as a way of making his art accessible to a wider audience and to meet a demand for high-quality reproductions of his art. The Portfolio comprised Brangwyn's own selection of 100 of his works on paper (prints, drawings and watercolours) which he felt was collectively representative of his output. The selection included 12 original etchings, 2 original lithographs and 1 aquatint. Drawings, watercolours and pastels were the focus of the remaining 85 works which were reproduced by photomechanical processes, including collotype, to which Brangwyn and his assistants then used stencils to add pastel or watercolour, lending the reproductions something of the finish of the original works. The first volume contains works numbered 1-50 (I - L) and the second numbered 51-100 (LI - C). It was produced in a limited edition of 120 at a price of 100 guineas for the two-volume set with three additional copies produced for presentation which were numbered in Roman figures: I. II. III., each containing one original drawing and a series of etchings and wood cuts on Japanese paper.