Places: 7 Prints From Woodblocks Designed and Engraved by Paul Nash.

NASH, Paul

Limited edition; 4to; original cloth backed boards with the first print repeated on the front cover. Signed by Nash, this being number 47 of 55 copies on japon paper with designs printed directly from the woodblocks. Places is unique among Nash's illustrated books for, apart from the printing it is entirely his own work. He wrote the 'prose poems' designed the cover, title page and illustrations and the text is printed in a facsimile of his hand writing. Claire Colvin writes that 'Places is a very private book; all the locations are ones which Nash had a very strong personal involvement'. This example is preserved in the rare original box covered in paper design by Nash, large printed label on upper cover, one joint neatly repaire. Fine a lovely copy, with a bump to one corner.

Westminster Comment

NASH, Paul

Watercolour over pencil, on grey paper, 28cm by 20cm. Signed with initials, inscribed with title and For K on the mount. Framed and glazed. Originally presented to Kenneth Clark as a Christmas card, the front page of which is also included unframed; in this Nash uses the same palette as in the water colour but in addition uses a little collage to create a bleak wintery landscape. Provenance: Sold as lot 49 at Sotheby's Bond Street as part of The Paintings and Works of Art from the Collections of the late Lord Clark of Saltwood on 27th June 1984. In August 1939 Clark made a proposal to the Ministry of Information to set up a scheme for War Artists. At the same time Nash attempted to set up a rival committee - which irritated Clark, as he told John Betjeman, 'I wish that Nash would go on painting and repress his insatiable appetite for organisation.' As James Stourton states in his recent biography of Clark, he easily outmanoeuvred Nash. Clark eventually recruited 36 artists, as Stourton records fees were not generally a problem, except for Nash. Clark had to write to him a long explanatory letter explaining the fees that were to be offered and he became one of the most troublesome artists that Clark had to deal with. He constantly badgered him about the RAF (with whom he had been sent to work) and about money. Clark, however wrote to the Air Ministry, telling them in very strong terms how foolish they were in their criticism of Nash. It must be assumed that Nash eventually came to appreciate the support given by Clark and one of the results was this Christmas gift.