Gargantua in the Vineyard

San Francisco: Eastside Editions, 2001. Limited Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. A large accordion book of prints by Art Hazelwood, inspired by Francois Rabelais, in a signed limited edition of twenty-five, of which this is no. 1. The ten prints form a continuous image measuring 18" x 288". They are accompanied by the cover image, title page and colophon. In this work Hazelwood combines linocut, etching, and aquatint, in a process he describes in detail in his article "Gargantua and the Book" (The California Printmaker, 2002). As David Berona outlines in "Art Hazelwood: A Graphic Witness of America" (Image & Narrative, 2005), "Gargantua in the Vineyard" combines an engagement with literary works, political concerns, and a striking use of storytelling in the extended print: "To appreciate the power of Hazelwood's narrative these prints should be viewed in the entire, scrolling form. The use of analogous color in these prints, the migration of figures and objects from one print to the next print, and the actions of Gargantua such as when he is holding a vat of wine in his hand, blowing away the monk's enemies, or catching a bunch of grapes inside his mouth provides points of narrative continuity....The layers of action, large dimensions, and expert use of color in this series marked Hazelwood, at this junction in his career, as a skilled printmaker with a distinct vision." Scuffs, wear and faint staining to the blue cloth slipcase, which has protected the work itself, with the exception of a small transfer of blue to the edge of the lower right corner of the front cover (see photos). The prints are bright, clean and unmarked.