Leonard Baskin | Four engravings, [1956], mounted together, inscribed to Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes

Leonard Baskin

Four engravings, [1956]

Entitled in pencil by the artist, "Blake", "Palmer" (depicting the nineteenth century landscape painter, etcher, and printmaker Samuel Palmer RWS), "Blake: a fragment", "Blake", 3 of which inscribed "for Sylvia and Ted", between 51 x 46mm. and 112 x 82mm., mounted together, two engravings and mount browned, mount slightly creased, one drawing coming loose from mount

INSCRIBED TO SYLVIA PLATH AND TED HUGHES. Leonard Baskin had befriended Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes when they were living in Northampton, MA, in 1957-1958. Baskin taught printmaking and sculpture at Smith College from 1953-1973. The friendship flourished after their return to England and Baskin continued to collaborate with Hughes for decades, indeed right up to Hughes' death in 1998. These prints were engraved as part of Blake and the Youthful Ancients (1956).

LITERATURE:

Alan Fern, The complete prints of Leonard Baskin: a catalogue raisonné 1948-1983 (1984), no. 264, 268, 273