Invisible Cities by Calvino, Italo; Weaver, William (Translator); Thiebaud, Wayne (Illustrator) - 1999

San Francisco: Arion Press, 1999. Limited Edition. Hardcover. Fine. Thiebaud, Wayne. Number 147 of 400 numbered copies for sale, square folio size, [164] pp., signed by Wayne Thiebaud, in original publisher's shipping box. "Italo Calvino, regarded by many as the greatest master of Italian fiction in this century, first published this work in 1972 as Le citta invisibili. A tale mixing fantasy, reality, and philosophy, it recounts a long conversation between a young Marco Polo and an aging Kublai Khan. The book was lauded by Gore Vidal as more than a novel, more like a "meditation or poem" and "perhaps his [Calvino's] most beautiful work". William Weaver, who translated it from the Italian into English, considers that among his translations, "it is the one I reread with the most pleasure"...

With artwork by Wayne Thiebaud (b. 1920), an American painter associated with the Pop Art movement who is known for (among other things) his urban and landscape paintings, drawing influence from artists like Richard Diebenkorn and Edward Hopper. With a career that has spanned decades, Thiebaud is one of America's most prominent contemporary artists.

For this work, Thiebaud contributed twelve drawings, with the idea that the images of cities and objects remain invisible until the reader takes action. To realize this concept, Andrew Hoyem designed the book with the drawings printed on clear plastic in different colors of inks, each matching the color of the following sheet. The images are revealed only when the transparent sheet is turned back onto the preceding page, a white sheet with printed text."

___DESCRIPTION: Bound in an anodized aluminum ring binding with U-posts, back cover supports four U-posts, lid has four slots through which the U-posts rise, and a locking pin of aluminum rod slips through the hoops securing lid to base, mylar endpapers, 12 illustrations, monotype and hand-set Veronese type, both colored and white Italian Tiziano mould-made Fabriano paper, folio 14" x 12", [164] pp., limited to 400 numered copies for sale, this being number 147 (26 lettered copies were printed for private distribution), signed by the artist. Volume contained in the original publisher's white shipping box; we opened it in order to catalogue the book.

___CONDITION: The aluminum binding clean and free of wear, internally bright and crisp, and free of prior owner markings; a fine copy, like new. The publisher's box near fine with modest wear and markings.

___CITATION: Arion Press Catalogue 57.

___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.

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