EDWARD BAWDEN | MORTE D’ARTHUR 46
These duelling knights, designed and printed by Edward Bawden, are Sir Palomides and Sir Tristram, who have just been involved in one hell of a fight, for the hand of Queen Isoud, the fairest maiden in Ireland (and a handy surgeon, to boot).
Edward Bawden RA (1903-1989), Morte D’Arthur, Linocut on wove paper 206 x 268mm
Their bloody two-hour struggle is described in Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur, first published in 1485 on the Caxton press, and republished countless times since. Bawden, aged 77, was commissioned to produce 71 linocuts for the Folio Society’s 1981 edition, and print over 100 copies of each one, on his heavy hand-press, a massive job that took him eight months to complete.
The print is marked 1/50, but it seems likely that only 15 were made in this edition. It is signed by the artist in pencil, with the inscription ‘Within this mile is the suffragan of Carlisle which shall give you the sacrament of baptism’, a quote from Malory’s epic tale (Palomides was a Saracen and, having lost his sword in the duel, agreed to convert to Christianity, in return for Tristram sparing his life).
The piece typifies the almost cartoony, homespun-modernist style Bawden achieved with his vividly graphic linocuts.
Bawden remains best known as a printer – widely regarded as the most prolific of his generation – but was also a fine watercolourist, graphic artist and muralist. He is often associated with his best friend and friendly rival Eric Ravilious, part of the same Great Bardfield artistic community.
The print is on the books of Dominic Kemp, the London-based private art dealer who specialises in modern British prints. Bawden is one of a number of artists he will be showing at Stand 57 of British Art Fair, including Geoffrey Clarke, Merlyn Evans, Paul Feiler, Elisabeth Frink, Stanley Hayter, John Piper, Michael Rothenstein, Graham Sutherland and Julian Trevelyan.