The Chester Play of the Deluge: Five plates

Details

DAVID JONES, C.H. (1895-1974)
The Chester Play of the Deluge: Five plates
wood engravings, 1926-27, comprising four plates on Japan paper, each signed, dated, titled and inscribed in pencil, rare proofs before the book edition published by the Golden Cockerel Press, Waltham St. Lawrence, 1927, framed; and one plate on wove paper, presumably from the later edition of 250 published by the Rampant Lions Press, 1977
Blocks 6 ½ x 5 ½ in. (165 x 140 mm.), Sheets 10 x 8 ¼ in. (255 x 210 mm.)
(5)

Provenance

Eric Gill (1882-1940); a gift from the artist (according to the dedication). (Noe receives the plans of the Ark)

Literature

Exhibition catalogue, David Jones: An Exhibition of Paintings, Drawings and Engravings, Aberystwyth, The Arts Council of Great Britain Welsh Committee, The National Museum of Wales, 1954, p. 24, under no. 97, pl. IV, 'After the Deluge', another impression illustrated, as 'The Dove'.
P. Hills, exhibition catalogue, David Jones, London, Tate Gallery, 1981, p. 73, no. 10, 'After the Deluge', another impression illustrated, as 'The Dove'.

Exhibited

Aberystwyth, The Arts Council of Great Britain Welsh Committee, The National Museum of Wales, David Jones: An Exhibition of Paintings, Drawings and Engravings, July - August 1954, under no. 97, other impressions exhibited: this exhibition travelled to Cardiff, The National Museum if Wales, August - September 1954; Swansea, The Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, October 1954; Edinburgh, The Diploma Galleries, The Royal Scottish Academy, November - December 1954; and London, Tate Gallery, December 1954 - January 1955.
London, Tate Gallery, David Jones, July - September 1981, no. 10, 'After the Deluge', another impression exhibited, as 'The Dove'.
London, Austin Desmond Fine Art, David Jones (1895-1974), April - May 1989, no. 101, 'After the Deluge', another impression exhibited, as 'The Dove'.

Special Notice

Artist's Resale Right ("Droit de Suite"). Artist's Resale Right Regulations 2006 apply to this lot, the buyer agrees to pay us an amount equal to the resale royalty provided for in those Regulations, and we undertake to the buyer to pay such amount to the artist's collection agent.

Brought to you by

Philip Harley

pharley@christies.com +44 207 389 2687

Lot Essay

The lot comprises:

Anti-deluvian society, on Japan paper, signed with intials, dated '26', titled and inscribed '(Proof)' in pencil;
Noe receives the plans of the Ark, on Japan paper, signed with intials, dated '27', titled and inscribed 'proof' in pencil, dedicated From DJ to EG. St. Peter's Chair at Antioche 1927. with much love' in pencil;
The Deluge, on Japan paper, signed, dated '27', titled and inscribed 'Edition of 20';
After the Deluge, on wove paper;
The Oblation of Noe, on wove paper, signed, dated '26', titled and inscribed 'Proof.' in pencil.

The Chester Play of the Deluge is regarded as one of David Jones's most important works, and one of the great books published by Robert Gibbings at the Golden Cockerel Press. Jones was, however, disappointed with the quality of Gibbing's printings of his blocks, caused in part by the use of an undampened, heavy wove paper which failed to pick up the nuances of Jones's delicate engravings. The proofs on Japan paper, of which there are four rare examples in this lot, were much finer in quality, and clearly to the satisfaction of the artist who gave an impression to his friend and mentor, Eric Gill.

More from The Delighted Eye: Works from the Collection of Allen and Beryl Freer

View All