Extra-illustrated Ecclesiastes by Ben Shahn

Ecclesiastes.
Boissia, Clairvaux-les-Lacs, Jura, France: The Trianon Press, 1967.
(Prothro B-199)

Handwritten and illustrated by Ben Shahn – Lithography by Imprimerie Mourlot – Collotype and stencil work by Hourdebaigt and Crampe – Serigraphy by Thierry, Paris – Editorial matter hand set and printed by Imprimerie La Ruche – Binding by Engel, Malakof – Slipcase by Adine, Paris – Produced under the supervision of Ben Shahn and Arnold Fawcus

Two years after the publication of the Spiral Press Ecclesiastes for which he drew illustrations, Ben Shahn produced an edition of the book accomplished entirely in his own hand, writing out the text and painting watercolor illustrations. The book was published by the Trianon Press (1947–1988), known for high-quality facsimiles and books by and about acclaimed artists. Shahn’s handiwork was reproduced using a combination of lithography, collotype, and pochoir. The gold lettering on the title page was printed by means of silkscreen.

Shahn’s 1967 Ecclesiastes was printed in an edition of two hundred forty copies, of which two hundred were printed on Arches Grand Verge paper and numbered 1–200, twenty-six on Arches Grand Vellin and lettered A–Z, and fourteen copies were printed hors commerce. Each copy in the sub-edition of twenty-six includes two additional signed, original lithographs and an extra set of illustrations. The copy displayed is letter J. This copy was the gift of Elizabeth Perkins Prothro.