Sylvia Plath / Original Signed Painted Portrait of an Unidentified Young 1st ed

Description: The Visual Art Of The Visual PoetOriginal Signed Painted Portrait of an Unidentified Young WomanBy Sylvia Plath[1948 or 1949]An original, bold portrait painted by a 16-year-old Sylvia Plath.Near fine. Plath made visual art throughout her life in a wide variety of mediums: from collage and oils to watercolor and pastels. Before she settled firmly on poetry in college, she seriously considered majoring in art. This early piece, painted while she was in high school (and, given the inscription on the verso, likely submitted to an art contest or competition), is executed in colorful gouache in a decidedly modern, almost Fauvist style, and features an unnamed young woman resting her chin in her hand. The approach to this piece speaks to her early experimentation with the kind of art that would inspire her writing as an adult. Plath would later write to her mother, "I feel I'm developing a kind of primitive style of my own which I am very fond of" (August 28th, 1956). In 1958, she wrote that her "deepest source of inspiration" was "the art of primitives like Henri Rousseau, Gauguin and Paul Klee and De Chirico [...] Once I start writing, it comes and comes" (quoted in Clark, 518). As this letter suggests, Plath did not merely dabble in art: it was in many ways central to her creative practice. According to Dorothy Moss, curator of the 2017 Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery exhibition of Plath's art, ONE LIFE: SYLVIA PLATH, "I think that once you know that she drew and painted and sketched constantly as a child, and realize that she went to college to major in art, you'll start seeing how vivid her descriptions are, and how beautifully she put visual images into words." That exhibition prominently featured Plath's painting "Triple-Face Portrait" (1950), which shares a decidedly similar sensibility with this piece. Provenance: Purchased by a previous owner directly from Sylvia's mother Aurelia, who was a personal friend of the buyer. Plath's mother received little money from Plath's increasingly lucrative estate which was controlled by her husband, the poet Ted Hughes, thus forcing her mother to sell many Plath's personal items to supplement her meager income. A moving and vibrant original work from one of the defining authors of the 20th century, capturing the youthful exuberance she would transform from visual media into the written wordRead more: Clark, Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath. (Wellesley, Mass): n.p, [1948 or 1949]. 17.75'' x 12.75'' (image). Original gouache painting on thick paper. Housed in a metal frame (easily removable). Signed by Plath on verso: "Sylvia Plath / (Age 16) / 26 Elmwood Rd / Wellesley, Mass." With Plath estate seal on both front (lower left corner) and back. Light edgewear, a few creases at the corners and some waviness to the paper from painting and only noticeable on the verso. Type Punch Matrix Type Punch Matrix is a rare book firm founded by Rebecca Romney and Brian Cassidy. Between them, they bring over 30 years of experience in the antiquarian book trade. TPM sells a mixture of beloved classics and innovative texts from throughout print history, for collectors and institutions alike. Handpress and modern books, archives and manuscripts, letterpress and ephemera: TPM aims to make collecting both more accessible and more diverse, and believes in the mindful acquisition, preservation, and celebration of the materials of our literary cultures. Proud member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of American (ABAA), the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), and the International Online Booksellers Association (IOBA). Guarantee We guarantee the accuracy and authenticity of all our listings. "First edition" always means first printing unless otherwise indicated. Items may be returned for any reason within 30 days, through prior arrangement, and in original condition. Maryland residents must add 6% sales tax. Shipping We pride ourselves on our packaging. All books are carefully packed to help ensure safe arrival in condition sent. We use new boxes, with not a single bubble envelope to be found in our shipping room. We ship most packages via USPS media mail and include delivery confirmation at no additional charge. Delivery typically takes 5-10 days, but may be longer, especially during the holidays. Orders are shipped within two business days. Priority USPS, UPS, and Fed-Ex services are available on request; please inquire for a specific quote. We combine shipping on items purchased at the same time. If you check out immediately and are overcharged for shipping during checkout, we will issue you a prompt refund, once actual shipping costs are known. International shipping is available, and we are happy to ship to our international customers. Please contact is BEFORE PURCHASING for an exact quote.This listing was created by Bibliopolis.

Price: 148500 USD

Location: Silver Spring, Maryland

End Time: 2024-12-16T00:08:44.000Z

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