Frank Brangwyn [Volume 1 ; Volume 2]

In 1927 this portfolio in two volumes was published by E. F. D'Alignan and Paul Turpin, responding to a demand for high quality reproductions of Brangwyn's work. The artist himself chose 100 items which he felt were representative of his range of disciplines, including 12 original etchings and 3 original lithographs. The remaining 85 works were lithographic reproductions of watercolours, pastels and drawings produced by photomechanical means to which Brangwyn and his assistants added chalk or watercolour through stencils, giving the impression of original works.

Volume 1 comprises works produced before 1922 and numbered I to L, composed of 44 photomechanical prints after unpublished drawings or watercolours (of which nos. VIII and XXV were specially lithographed for this work), and 6 original etchings (nos. III, XV, XXIX, XXXVI, XLII and L of which nos. IIIand XXIX were printed specially for this work). The volume begins with a cover sheet printed with aquatint frontispiece signed by Brangwyn enclosing accompanying text by Théophile Alexandre Steinlen ('L'art de Frank Brangwyn') illustrated with a portrait of Brangwyn and a list of contents printed with a woodcut by Brangwyn. Also included in this portfolio is an English translation of Steinlen's essay and a list, in English, of the reproductions in the first volume. The portfolio lacks number IX.

Volume 2 comprises works produced before 1927 and numbered LI to C and composed of 44 photomechanical prints after unpublished drawings or watercolours, and 6 original etchings (nos. LVII, LXIX, LXXVII, LXXXIV, XC and C). With list of plates and accompanying texts by Jean Richepin and Emile Verhaeren, the latter taken from 'Le Figaro', 26 January 1912 and illustrated with woodcuts by Brangwyn.