To autumn
By: John Keats ; [David Esslemont, book artist]
Contributors: Esslemont, David; Solmentes Press
Publisher: Solmentes Press
Published: 2008
Place of publication: Decorah, IA
Language: eng
Number of pages: 38
Subjects: Artists' books; Pictorial works
Notes: "John Keats, 1795-1821, an English Romantic poet and a contemporary of Wordsworth and Coleridge, wrote "To Autumn" in September 1819.

"Inspired by the vibrant colours of autumn leaves, each page illustrates one line from the poem. The paintings or drawings, perhaps "calligraphs", incorporate the words, drawn with a pen that create complex and intriguing patterns. The illustrations were created in pairs, as facing pages. As the poem comprises three, eleven-line stanzas, an additional three images were used to balance the double page spreads. The original images were created with acrylic inks, the line itself was added digitally, reversed out in white for the book. Each image is based on a detail from a photograph of a maple tree on Bedford Street in Minneapolis. Seen all together, the bigger picture is revealed in a fractured montage."--Publisher's website http://members.aol.com/esslemont/ viewed June 19, 2008.

"The book is printed digitally using Epson Ultrachrome K3 pigment inks. The paper is mould made 225 gsm Somerset enhanced from the St Cuthberts Mill in Somerset, England. Somerset is made from 100% cotton, and is an archival grade paper. Printed only on one side of the sheet, the pages are joined together with Tyvek and sewn with coloured thread. The bindings are constructed to allow the book to open and lie flat."--Publisher's Web site http://members.aol.com/esslemont/ viewed June 19, 2008.

Artist's book bound in red striated paper-covered boards. Quarter bound in dark red cloth. Front cover has the author's name and the title written in black calligraphy. Pages are joined together with Tyvek and sewn with colored thread. Book is housed in a linen-covered clamshell box.