Al Aaraaf.

[ D'Ambrosio, Joseph ]. Poe, Edgar Allan.

Published by [Sherman Oaks:] Livre d'Art by D'Ambrosio, 1995.

About this Item

"Based on the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe's discovery of what later would be termed a supernovaÑAl Aaraaf (a star that arose upon the night in a brilliant flash, stayed for a short while, and then disappeared), Edgar Allan Poe created this metaphysical communication of fleeting beauty. In it he juggles time and space between reality and fantasy. I had no recourse but to do the same. However, I did start with a basic premise, which is that when one passes a mirror, one can see one's image and the surrounding scene. Once past the mirror, one disappears from the view but the reflection of the surrounding scene continues: a visual presentation of the term 'evanescence.' During the period of the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe (1546-1601), all heavenly bodies were given Arabic names. The structure of the book, therefore, had to evoke that background, along with the spirit of a beautiful thing arising and then passing forever from view. Hence, I created a mirrored polybhedron with unintellible but real script that evokes Arabic writing (but not Arabic) banding its throatÉ" (Joseph D'Ambrosio in A Memoir of Book Design 1969-2000). Octavo. x], 45, [1] pp. 12 pp booklet in pocket at rear. Printed letterpress in black and purple with woodcut backgrounds in various colors, several pages with embossed margins. Trapezoidal shape binding in quarter blue morocco and mirrored panel boards, housed with the original trapezoidal two-part display stand and cover with further mirrored paneling. A fine copy. One of fifty copies printed letterpress on Lana Royal Classic paper. Signed on the title-page by D'Ambrosio. Seller Inventory # 15685

Bibliographic Details

Title: Al Aaraaf.

Publisher: [Sherman Oaks:] Livre d'Art by D'Ambrosio, 1995.

Binding: Hardcover

Signed: Signed by Author(s)