Together with a new introduction, this book includes a facsimile of one of Eric Ravilious's best-illustrated works, first published by the Golden Cockerel Press in 1932 in a limited edition and considered a masterpiece of typography and illustration.

The artist and illustrator Eric Ravilious was fascinated by Elizabethan and Jacobean poetry and drama, both as literature and as visual inspiration. His playful wood engravings depict characters such as Viola, Sebastian, Sir Toby Belch, and Malvolio, dressed in period costumes, in imaginary scenes or gardens. Decorative frames and vignettes bring the pages to life.

The Golden Cockerel Press, owned by Robert Gibbings, himself a wood engraver, was known for limited editions, hand-printed books that benefited from the revival of wood engraving after World War I. The introduction by Alan Powers recounts how this edition, stemming from a broader Shakespeare revival, was nearly canceled due to the effects of the economic downturn, and how the ingenuity and determination of those involved with the publishing house led to this extraordinary version of Shakespeare's beloved comedy.

Pages: 96, Dimensions: 19.4x19.4cm