Paper Chase
Books are the mirrors of the soul.
— Virginia Woolf
We created our 13th broadside amid news of bankrupt corporate bookstores and dire warnings of an electronic apocalypse threatening the written word. Yet we, as printers, are surrounded by evidence to the contrary: proof of the simple truth that books are here to stay. Virginia Woolf founded the Hogarth Press in order to publish her own writing—work that most likely would have been rejected by traditional publishers of the era, yet which continues to be celebrated today.
In homage to the old adage, “The power of the press belongs to those who can operate one,” our piece is teeming with the tools of Virginia’s trade as a printer. A type case helps sort the problem of minding one’s Ps and Qs, while an inked-up chase is locked and loaded and ready to print. Above that is a staple of any writer: a messy bookshelf overflowing with stacked volumes. Reflected in the mirror of Virginia’s work is the beauty—and sadness—that veils her prose. Ghostly silver ink floats like a lingering afterimage, and an ethereal garden blooms from spectral soil. Lilacs and lilies, thistles and honeysuckles take root—each plants a seed of meaning from the Victorian tome The Language of Flowers. Do a little digging and discover layers of rich symbolism that reveal the woman behind the words.
You can learn more about this piece on our blog.
Year created
2011
At issue
The continued relevance of physical books
Women printers and authors
The importance of self-publishing
Edition size
129 prints
Significance of edition number
The number of years (at the time of printing) since Woolf’s birth
Special printing techniques
Paper Chase is printed using metallic silver ink.
Donation
A portion of the proceeds were donated to the Independent Publishing Resource Center, in honor of the power of self-publishing.