Curiosity Cabinet Limited Edition Screenprint

Description

I was inspired to make this print after a visit to Siebold House in Leiden, and by Philipp Von Siebold’s fascinating 19th Century collection of specimens (both animal & vegetable) gathered on his travels through Japan between 1823 and 1828.

There is something very melancholy about low-lit shelves of specimen jars filled with long dead, yet perfectly preserved, creatures. They seem to be holding their breath, collectively waiting for some unknown (and unknowable?) thing.

The creatures in my Cabinet of Curiosities were informed by early scientific engravings – wonderful (in the true sense of the word, i.e. ‘full of wonder’) and sometimes a little crazy! – in particular the 18th Century studies and ‘Cabinet of Natural Curiosities’ of Albertus Seba, and the 19th Century graphic explorations of German biologist Ernst Haeckel.

I began by making a series of 13 pen and ink drawings (roughly A3 in size) of a variety of creatures in bottles. I then scanned these drawings and (digitally) arranged the bottles on shelves. The resulting digital file was used to print a film positive/transparency for burning the screen ready for printing. I then hand-pulled a very limited edition of 28 prints. Each print in the edition is numbered (1/28, 2/28 etc.), titled (‘Curiosity Cabinet’) and signed (S.Norris) along the bottom in pencil.

The prints’ vital stats:
- A one colour (velvety black, non-toxic water-based ink) silk screen print on Incisioni paper (220gsm, pH neutral, 50% cotton)
- The print measures w 39.9cm x h 47cm (or ± 48cm if taking the title/edition info written along the bottom in to consideration) (15.7” x 18.5”/18.9”)
- The paper measures w 50cm x h 59cm (19.7” x 23.2”)
- Each print is numbered, titled and signed along the bottom in pencil, and is one in a very limited edition of 28. If you order a print you will be sent the next/consecutive numbered print in the edition.

A note on packaging:
As sending a print of this size flat would result in exorbitant postage costs, the print will be gently rolled (protected in acid-free tissue paper) and placed inside a sturdy cardboard mailing tube.
Once you’ve received your print, I would advise removing it from the tube as soon as possible and laying it, weighted down, on a flat hard surface. However, if you needed to store it for a time in its tube, it would come to no long-term harm and could happily be stored there for as long as necessary.

As this print will be sent in a sturdy cardboard mailing tube I am unable to include other items in the same package (unless the other items are also prints) – please see my ‘shop policies’ for more information on “if shipped with another item”. Thanks!

suzanne norris / sakurasnow © all rights reserved
Image copyright is not transferred with sale

Added on Nov 02, 2009

Shipping

ship to:	cost:	with another item:
Netherlands	$8.00 USD	$4.00 USD
European Union	$10.00 USD	$5.00 USD
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United States	$15.00 USD	$7.50 USD
Everywhere Else	$15.00 USD	$7.50 USD

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