A beautiful print celebrating the beauty and vulnerability of these wonderful creatures. Two of this special edition of ten prints are held in the special collections at Oxford University.

• Handset letterpress with blind deboss using wood and metal type

• Whale created from face and back of woodtype with ornaments for eye and spout

• Text 12pt & 6pt Baskerville italic. Whale breath 12pt glint (Monotype B1309 & B1310)

• Printed on 42x32cm Somerset Velvet 300gsm soft white paper using a tabletop flatbed proofing press

2019 was the 200th Anniversary of the birth of Herman Melville. In celebration of the author and his work the Bodleian Bibliographical Press at Oxford University invited a collaboration with contemporary letterpress printers. The aim was to reflect upon the themes of Melville's book Moby Dick, by printing collectively, the section of the novel, 'Extracts. Supplied by a sub-sub librarian.' I was delighted to be able to take part and chose to explore Extract 35. The project also provided an opportunity to consider our relationship with whales in the 21st century. At the bottom of my print I amend the quote to reflect current man-made environmental issues faced by whales.

“... and the breath of the whale is frequently attended with such an insupportable smell, as to bring on a disorder of the brain.” —Ulloa’s South America.

“... and the stomach of the whale is frequently attended with such indigestible plastic, as to bring on the death of the species.”

(Several artists proof prints are also available at a slightly reduced price. These are exactly the same except that a couple of words in the blind debossed ocean background have letters that have floated out of order, difficult to spot and corrected for the final edition.)

This product will be delivered unmounted and carefully rolled in non-acidic tissue in a large postal tube.