Love's Truest Language
The Netherlands: Double Dutch Design, 2024. Hardcover. This is an exquisite unique artist's book from the highly regarded book artist, Merike van Zanten. Merike focused on book arts, letterpress design and printing in the United States beginning in 2003 in the US, but re-established studio in The Netherlands around 2020. She has participated in numerous exhibitions, residencies, and workshops during her career. Her work can be found in a number of libraries, including the Bainbridge Museum of Art, The Walker Library of the History of Human Imagination, Boston Atheneum, Stanford University, Baylor University and the University of Miami.
Merike is an accomplished artist using eco printing techniques. Eco printing is a process whereby only natural materials are used such as leaves and flowers that transfer their pigments onto a substrate when subjected to heat and pressure. The process produces exceptionally beautiful designs and colors. This work, which she describes as an eco printed book displays the beauty of this technique, which creates various designs without the use of paints and ink.
Bound in sheepskin covered boards with printed images of leaves and flowers and hand-lettered title in black ink to front board. The interior consists of eco prints on Arches Aquarelle and baking paper. Some of the prints have been embellished with gold leaf. Handwritten quotes relating to gardening are interspersed throughout the book. The quotes are by authors including Park Benjamin, Pablo Neruda, Shakespeare, Aristotle, Saadi, Aeschylus, and Lord Byron. A lovely book in fine condition. Measures about 8 x 6 inches. Unpaginated [26 pages] ARTB/032425. Fine.
Item #37868
Price: $1,350.00