W.R. Johnson; Claire van Vliet
Narcissus, 1990
(Newark, VT): Janus Press
One of 120 copies, signed by the designer, Claire Van Vliet.
3385
Small quarto. 14 leaf panorama that folds out to 52 inches long. A visual presentation of Johnson's poem. Innovatively bound in a diamond shape whose spine slips through a slot...
Small quarto. 14 leaf panorama that folds out to 52 inches long. A visual presentation of Johnson's poem. Innovatively bound in a diamond shape whose spine slips through a slot in the cover, and can be removed in order to fold out the panorama to its full length. When looked at as a book, the colored diamond squares become progressively larger. The poem appears on the first "page," which has a mirror in its center. The following squares have laserprinted images in the center, giving the impression of cloud-filled skies, which is in accord with the imagery of the poem. There are two vellum-backed strips which allow the book to be hung two different ways. Dropback box is specially designed of wood and covered with a beautiful paper-pulp design. The whole is housed in a cloth-edged slipcase. Very fine. (Fine, Catalogue Raisonné III, p.41).


