[Janus Press] Walter Ralph Johnson

Narcissus

      Newark, Vermont:: Janus Press,, 1990.. Edition of 120. 9 x 11.5"; 14 unnumbered pages. Letterpress printed text. Concertina binding with holes to allow for wall hanging. Handmade papers from MacGregor-Vinzani in Maine. Housed in a box built of wood with a diamond-shaped tray for the book and lavender paper covers. Slipcased.#11; The Janus Press 1981-90: Catalogue Raisonne: "Diamond shaped format trimmed at top to accommodate concertina binding structure. Seven laser printed images by Claire Van Vliet. Concentric diamonds of M-V plum, green, blue, periwinkle, purple, rose, red, trimmed at top ... Titles and text handset in 10 and 12 pt. Helvetica capitals. Titles printed in light and dark violet, text in black. Printed damp on binding concertina. Spine slips out allowing book to be hung in either direction from vellum strips. Housed in modified rectangular clam box covered with M-V abaca deep lavender, medium lavender, and pink pigmented pulps; brass type title printed in plum. Wooden interior structure of triangular inserts accommodates trimmed diamond format of book, framing inset colophon printed damp in violet on M-V sand abaca-cotton. Housed in slipcase of tan book cloth and Barcham Green Dover paper over boards with titles in 18 pt. brass type printed in red-violet on spine. Designed, set, printed by Claire Van Vliet. Images laser printed on Barcham Green Chatham at Sarabande Press, New York. Ruth Fine, The Janus Press 1981-90: Catalogue Raisonne: "Narcissus incorporates laser printed visuals as well as a Mylar mirror in which one virtually sees oneself on the periphery while reading the poem. A meditative experience is presented, having read the poem before turning to the series of cloud images, then moving through the layers of violet clouds to which the words refer, ending, however, with an earthy iron oxide."#11; Califia Books: "This is one of Claire Van Vliet's beautiful, linked, unfolding books. It is a cascade of colored squares, bound at the top to form a ripple of increasingly larger equilateral diamonds!lavender, green, blues, mauves!cool calming hues like the still waters into which Narcissus peers. A brief poem introduces us to the contemplation of the book!"They see or think they see a stripling crazed / By his own loveliness, / but in this flawless glass . . . I ponder the wide sky/ I seek the secrets of its endless calm . . ." It can be "read" by turning page to page. Or let it fall from above, like water, to be viewed and displayed from either side. One side has diamonds of laserprinted clouds and trees and a mirrored square that place us in the sylvan environ of the story.