Leonard Baskin | Man with Forsythia, artist's proof, [1953], inscribed to Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath

Property of Frieda Hughes

Leonard Baskin

Man with Forsythia, [1953]

Artist's proof, wood engraving with embossing on top right-hand side, captioned in faint pencil "Man with Forsythia, artist's proof", inscribed "For Sylvia & Ted", and signed by the artist, 460 x 362mm., creases and light spotting

PREVIOUSLY OWNED BY TED HUGHES AND SYLVIA PLATH. 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. 

LITERATURE:

Alan Fern, The complete prints of Leonard Baskin: a catalogue raisonné 1948-1983 (1984), no. 222