Tom Phillips

Catalogue entry

[from] Dante's Inferno 1979–83 [P07482-P07497; P07561-P07568; P07622-P07629; P07685-P07708; P07761-P07778; P07784-P07803; P07855-P07898; P07989; complete]

Thirty-four Cantos each with text and either etchings, lithographs or screenprints, with title pages and colophon; the etchings were proofed and editioned by the artist and Nick Tite at Talfourd Press; the lithographs were proofed by Nick Hunter at Talfourd Press and editioned by Martin Davidson at the Dog's Ear Press; the screenprints were proofed and editioned by Chris Betambeau at Advanced Graphics (and in one instance, Brad Faine at Coriander).

All printed on a specially made tinted Inveresk Somerset paper 16 1/2 × 12 3/8 (420 × 315) watermarked with the artist's signature, published by Talfourd Press in an edition of 100
All inscribed ‘T P’ b.r.
Purchased from the artist (Grant-in-Aid) in instalments 1981–3

P07778 Title page Screenprint 10 3/8 × 8 (263 × 203)

P07777 Title page Etching 5 7/8 × 4 (150 × 100)

Canto i

P07685 Screenprint 11 1/2 × 8 (290 × 203)

P07686 Lithograph 11 3/8 × 7 7/8 (290 × 200)

P07687 Lithograph 12 1/4 × 8 5/8 (312 × 220)

P07688 Screenprint 10 3/4 × 8 (275 × 203)

Canto ii

P07622 Screenprint 10 1/2 × 8 (265 × 203)

P07623 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (293 × 203)

P07624 Screenprint 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

P07625 Etching 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

Canto iii

P07561 Etching 12 3/8 × 9 (315 × 228)

P07562 Screenprint 11 1/2 × 8 1/8 (292 × 205)

P07563 Screenprint 11 5/8 × 8 1/8 (295 × 205)

P07564 Screenprint 11 1/2 × 8 (290 × 204)

Canto iv

P07761 Screenprint 13 × 8 (330 × 203)

P07762 Etching 11 3/8 × 7 7/8 (290 × 200)

P07763 Screenprint 11 3/8 × 8 (290 ×203)

P07764 Lithograph 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

Canto v

P07565 Screenprint 11 3/8 × 7 7/8 (290 × 200)

P07566 Etching 12 1/4 × 9 (312 × 228)

P07567 Screenprint 11 × 7 1/2 (280 × 190)

P07568 Etching, screenprint and lithograph 12 1/4 × 8 3/4 (312 × 222)

Canto vi

P07765 Lithograph 11 5/8 × 8 (295 × 204)

P07766 Screenprint with etching and aquatint 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

P07767 Lithograph 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

P07768 Lithograph 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

Canto vii

P07482 Screenprint 13 × 8 (330 × 203)

P07483 Etching 12 3/8 × 8 7/8 (314 × 225)

P07484 Lithograph and screenprint 11 3/8 × 7 7/8 (288 × 200)

P07485 Etching 12 1/2 × 8 1/4 (317 × 208)

Canto viii

P07689 Lithograph 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 202)

P07690 Etching 12 3/8 × 8 3/4 (314 × 225)

P07691 Screenprint 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

P07692 Etching and aquatint 12 3/8 × 8 1/4 (313 × 210)

Canto ix

P07769 Lithograph 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

P07770 Lithograph 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

P07771 Etching and aquatint 11 3/8 × 7 7/8 (290 × 200)

P07772 Lithograph 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

Canto x

P07693 Lithograph 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

P07694 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (293 × 204)

P07695 Lithograph 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

P07696 Lithograph 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

Canto xi

P07773 Screenprint 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 204)

P07774 Screenprint 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

P07775 Etching and aquatint 10 7/8 × 7 5/8 (276 × 195)

P07776 Screenprint 11 1/2 × 8 (293 × 203)

Canto xii

P07626 Lithograph 11 3/4 × 7 7/8 (300 × 200)

P07627 Screenprint 11 1/2 × 7 1/8 (290 × 200)

P07628 Screenprint 11 3/8 × 8 (288 × 203)

P07629 Lithograph 12 × 8 3/8 (303 × 213)

Canto xiii

P07486 Screenprint 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07487 Screenprint 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07488 Etching 12 3/4 × 8 3/8 (315 × 222)

P07489 Etching 12 1/2 × 9 (317 × 229)

Canto xiv

P07784 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07785 Screenprint 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

P07786 Screenprint and etching 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

P07787 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 1/8 (292 × 207)

Canto xv

P07490 Lithograph 10 3/8 × 8 (263 × 203)

P07491 Screenprint 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07492 Etching 12 1/2 × 8 7/8 (317 × 225)

P07493 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

Canto xvi

P07788 Lithograph 11 3/4 × 8 1/4 (300 × 210)

P07789 Etching 12 3/8 × 8 7/8 (315 × 225)

P07790 Lithograph 11 7/8 × 8 1/8 (302 × 208)

P07791 Etching 11 3/8 × 7 7/8 (290 × 200)

Canto xvii

P07792 Screenprint 11 3/8 × 8 (288 × 204)

P07793 Etching 11 5/8 × 7 7/8 (294 × 200)

P07794 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07795 Lithograph 11 3/8 × 8 1/8 (296 × 207)

Canto xviii

P07697 Etching and aquatint 11 3/4 × 8 (300 × 202)

P07698 Etching 11 3/8 × 7 7/8 (290 × 200)

P07699 Etching 11 1/4 × 7 3/4 (285 × 196)

P07700 Etching 12 × 8 1/2 (305 × 215)

Canto xix

P07494 Etching 12 1/2 × 8 7/8 (317 × 225)

P07495 Screenprint 9 1/2 × 8 (242 × 202)

P07496 Etching 12 1/2 × 8 3/4 (317 × 222)

P07497 Screenprint 11 3/8 × 8 (288 × 202)

Canto xx

P07701 Lithograph 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

P07702 Lithograph 11 5/8 × 8 (295 × 203)

P07703 Lithograph 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

P07704 Screenprint 10 3/8 × 8 (263 × 203)

Canto xxi

P07705 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (293 × 203)

P07706 Etching 12 1/8 × 7 5/8 (310 × 195)

P07707 Screenprint 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

P07708 Etching 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

Canto xxii

P07796 Lithograph 11 7/8 × 7 3/4 (302 × 198)

P07797 Screenprint 11 3/8 × 8 (290 × 203)

P07798 Etching 10 3/4 × 8 5/8 (275 × 222)

P07799 Screenprint 11 1/2 × 8 (293 × 203)

Canto xxiii

P07800 Lithograph 11 5/8 × 8 (296 × 203)

P07801 Lithograph 11 3/4 × 8 (297 × 203)

P07802 Screenprint 11 5/8 × 8 (296 × 203)

P07803 Lithograph 12 1/4 × 8 1/4 (312 × 210)

Canto xxiv

P07855 Screenprint 10 1/2 × 8 (268 × 203)

P07856 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07857 Lithograph 11 × 7 3/8 (280 × 187)

P07858 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

Canto xxv

P07883 Etching 12 1/4 × 8 3/4 (312 × 222)

P07884 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07885 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07886 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

Canto xxvi

P07859 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07860 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07861 Etching 11 1/4 × 7 3/4 (285 × 197)

P07862 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

Canto xxvii

P07863 Etching 11 1/4 × 7 1/4 (285 × 197)

P07864 Screenprint 11 5/8 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07865 Etching 11 7/8 × 8 (302 × 203)

P07866 Etching 11 3/4 × 7 7/8 (298 × 200)

Canto xxviii

P07867 Screenprint 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07868 Screenprint 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07869 Screenprint 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07870 Lithograph 11 7/8 × 8 1/8 (302 × 207)

Canto xxix

P07871 Screenprint 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07872 Etching 12 1/2 × 8 3/4 (318 × 222)

P07873 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07874 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

Canto xxx

P07875 Etching 12 1/4 × 8 3/4 (312 × 222)


P07876 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07877 Etching 12 1/2 × 8 3/4 (318 × 222)

P07878 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

Canto xxxi

P07879 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07880 Lithograph 11 1/4 × 8 (286 × 203)

P07881 Screenprint 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07882 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

Canto xxxii

P07887 Etching 12 1/4 × 8 3/4 (312 × 222)

P07888 Etching 12 × 8 1/4 (305 × 210)

P07889 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07890 Lithograph and screenprint 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

Canto xxxiv

P07891 Screenprint 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P078921 Etching 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07893 Lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07894 Lithograph 8 7/8 × 8 (210 × 203)

Canto xxxiv

P07895 Screenprint and lithograph 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07896 Screenprint 11 1/2 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07897 Etching 10 × 5 1/2 (254 × 140)

P07898 Lithograph 11 3/8 × 8 (292 × 203)

P07989 Colophon
Etching 11 1/8 × 8 (292 × 204)

Inscribed ‘Tom Phillips’ centre and ‘lxxxiii’ and ‘of the edition proper consisting of one hundred copies this is no.77’
Lit: Tom Phillips, Dante's Inferno, 1985 (bound edition of the complete work)

This work consists of Phillips's own translation of the Inferno, the first part of the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. Each of the 34 Cantos is accompanied by an introductory image and then three illustrations opposite the text of the poem. In an introduction in a booklet published by Waddington Graphics in 1983, the artist writes:

The Inferno is Europe's harsh masterpiece of eschatology: magnificent descriptions alternate with bleak but moving confrontations with the range of Man's baser potentialities; through these we come to know Dante's own beliefs, trials and visionary hopes. We also acquaint ourselves through his narrative with the complete scope of mediaeval learning: we see the Renaissance, so to speak, at first light. However remote in epoch and name are the characters, time drops away and reveals to us real people: we recognise them and know their modern counterparts.

Phillips's illustrations are intended to provide a visual commentary on the text. He has employed a rich visual language which includes some text treated as in his long series of ‘Humument’ works. In these, text from the same Victorian novel is taken out of context and blanked out with paint and other media to produce new meanings in a way related to some concrete poetry in which words are strung out down a page. He has also translated a wide variety of other kinds of printed imagery, particularly engravings and photographs, into these prints.

Phillips began work on the Dante project in 1976 but a fire at the Kelso Place studios of Editions Alecto destroyed most of the first year's work. He started again, setting up his own studio in Peckham to be both print workshop and publisher under the name Talfourd Press (after the name of the road). Much of the proofing and printing was done there although Phillips also used the screenprinting workshop Advanced Graphics and, in one instance, another screenprinting workshop, Coriander. The typography was done by Ian Mortimer and printed at IM Imprimit, using the typeface Walbaum. The work was printed in an edition of 185 copies in loose sheets; the edition was completed in 1983. Later, a bound facsimile edition was printed by Hansjorg Mayer, Stuttgart, in conjunction with the artist; this included Phillips's notes on each Canto and was published by Thames & Hudson.

This entry has been approved by the artist.

Published in:
The Tate Gallery 1982-84: Illustrated Catalogue of Acquisitions, London 1986

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