- 611
Joyce, James—Lilburn, David.
Estimate
10,000 - 15,000 GBP
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Description
- In Medias Res (The Ulysses Maps, A Dublin Odyssey), suite of seven large intaglio drypoint prints mapping the real and imaginary city of Dublin as revealed in the epic journeys of Stephen Dedalus and Leopold Bloom in the narrative and multi-layered references of Joyce's great master-work Ulysses, set on 16th June 1904, prints entitled “Phoenix Park” (680 x 760mm.), “The Quays” (785 x 1170mm.), “O'Connell Street” (1200 x 830mm.), “Eccles Street” (845 x 1110mm.), “Loop Bridge” (1080 x 660mm.), “Howth” (580 x 620mm.) and “Coastline” (690 x 1170mm.), no.4 of a limited edition of ten sets signed and numbered by the artist, each hand-printed on an etching press from zinc plates on 350gsm, natural, Hahnemuhle etching paper, each print with occasional additions of chine collé and watercolour applied by the artist, Limerick: Tabula Press, 2006
- paper
A superbly produced artistic re-mapping of Joyce's great reconfiguration of the “Epic” for the modern era, which itself created a new map of the modernist consciousness. In Medias Res is a major contemporary artwork celebrating the Centenary of “Bloomsday” in 2004, which accompanied the exhibition of the newly acquired Joyce/Leon papers (with its many recently discovered notebooks of chapters of Ulysses) at the National Library of Ireland in the same year. The etchings reveal both the Dublin of Joyce's novel and the contemporary city, with the title (“In the middle of things”) indicating a work that starts straight into the action without any introductory chapters or special scene-setting, reflecting the all-encompassing nature of the novel. In Medias Res is a dense map, constructed from a multiplicity of drawn marks and viewpoints, packed with references to the topography of Dublin and to plot fragments, characters, anecdotes, conversations, historical events and classical allusions all mentioned or implicit in the text, or figuring in the classical work epic which inspired it. So, for instance, the map “The Quays” features landmarks such as St. Catherine's Church, Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin Castle, the Guinness brewery and the Four Courts while characters such as Leopold Bloom, Blazes Boylan, Lenehan and McCoy, Paddy Dignam and Simon Dedalus all appear, together with references to episodes in Homer's Odyssey. “Coastline” shows Bloom and Gerty Mac Dowell on the strand, the Star of the Sea Church, the fireworks, Poolbeg lighthouse, the map of Sandycove, Bray, Killiney, Dalkey and other landmarks and scenes from Edwardian Dublin; “Eccles Street” depicts the area from Glasnevin Cemetery in the north-west (the scene of '”Hades” in Ulysses) to Connolly Station (formerly Amiens Street Station) , and 'Nightown', reputedly the largest red-light district in the British Empire and the location for Bella Cohan's brothel in the “Circe” episode, in the south-east, as well as No.7 Eccles Street, the home of Leopold and Molly Bloom (and now the site of the Mater Private Hospital); “Howth” shows the Howth Peninsula in the north of Dublin bay (as indicated in the reference to Dublin Bay, Captain Grenville Collins' sea chart of 1693) as well as the Howth tram (the last tram in Dublin, dismantled in 1959, before the new LUAS tram opened in 2004), and (among much else) of course the word “Yes”, the last word of the novel, as Molly Bloom recalls the answer she made to Leopold Bloom's proposal of marriage on Howth Head.
(more detailed descriptions of each map are available on request)
On a micro level the viewer of these maps is able to re-create routes taken by various characters as they criss-cross the city on 16th June 1904; but simultaneously the viewer is immersed in the Dublin of other moments in its history, as well as the Dublin of today. And as Joyce parodies different forms of writing in his novel, so In Medias Res contains a variety of types and styles of drawing and mark-making. Furthermore, there are references to historic and contemporary maps, such as John Speed's map of Dublin in the seventeenth century, Michel Etienne Turgot and Louis Bretz's Plan de Paris (1739) and the Isometric Map of Midtown Manhattan, by the Manhattan Map Company in 1989. The artist used not only the text of Ulysses for inspiration, but also historical prints, photographs, maps and manuscripts from the National Library's archives, as well as his own drawings, photographs and experiences of Ulysses and Dublin.
The seven individual maps, when displayed according to the geography they depict, link together to make up a large-scale map of Dublin city and its environs spanning some seven metres, teeming with detail and incident.
(more detailed descriptions of each map are available on request)
On a micro level the viewer of these maps is able to re-create routes taken by various characters as they criss-cross the city on 16th June 1904; but simultaneously the viewer is immersed in the Dublin of other moments in its history, as well as the Dublin of today. And as Joyce parodies different forms of writing in his novel, so In Medias Res contains a variety of types and styles of drawing and mark-making. Furthermore, there are references to historic and contemporary maps, such as John Speed's map of Dublin in the seventeenth century, Michel Etienne Turgot and Louis Bretz's Plan de Paris (1739) and the Isometric Map of Midtown Manhattan, by the Manhattan Map Company in 1989. The artist used not only the text of Ulysses for inspiration, but also historical prints, photographs, maps and manuscripts from the National Library's archives, as well as his own drawings, photographs and experiences of Ulysses and Dublin.
The seven individual maps, when displayed according to the geography they depict, link together to make up a large-scale map of Dublin city and its environs spanning some seven metres, teeming with detail and incident.
Literature
Commissioned by and exhibited at the National Library of Ireland, part of the Bloomsday Centenary exhibition James Joyce and ULYSSES at the National Library of Ireland, opened in June 2004
The prize-winning artist David Lilburn (b. Limerick, 1950) is one of the foremost printmakers working in Ireland today. His work has been exhibited in Ireland, Italy, Russia, Sweden, North America, China, Holland, Belgium and Germany, and he is well-represented in major public collections in Ireland, as well as in the Palazzo della Penna in Pergugia, Italy.
The prize-winning artist David Lilburn (b. Limerick, 1950) is one of the foremost printmakers working in Ireland today. His work has been exhibited in Ireland, Italy, Russia, Sweden, North America, China, Holland, Belgium and Germany, and he is well-represented in major public collections in Ireland, as well as in the Palazzo della Penna in Pergugia, Italy.
Condition
Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, when appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."