Archilochos: an archive with a transcript, letters and photos Michael Ayrton
*An archive in relation to “Archilochos” including a transcript, annotated studio photographs and letters between Ayrton and prospective US publishers David R. Godine*
Consisting of: 4to 4-page draft typescript of the introductory text with a few handwritten corrections by Ayrton; 8vo studio photographs (13), each one annotated in pencil to the reverse by Ayrton; 4to letters (22) between publishers and Ayrton about publication of the book dated between October 1974 and June 1975; along with a first edition of Archilochos published posthumously in 1977 by Secker & Warburg.
The large 8vo book is in near fine condition with some wrinkling to the bottom edge of the lower jacket panel, along with light wear to the edges and spine ends; the photos, letters and typescript are all in excellent condition. It is a smart archive of documents.
In 1972, Ayrton had published by his friend Douglas Cleverdon through the Arcadia Press, a suite of etchings in a small deluxe limited edition called Femmes-Hombres. It was agreed by the two that he would set to work on a similar project relating to the Greek soldier poet Archilochos, this time the concept being that he would combine illustrations with a translation of the poet’s fragments.
Ayrton was then contacted in late 1974, by David R. Godine – a US publisher, asking if it could use Ayrton’s illustrations for its own publication of Femmes-Hombres. Whilst in conversation, Ayrton raised the possibility of Godine publishing in a trade edition format, his project regarding Archilochos, and this archive relates to this. The letters are between Ayrton and Stephen Brooke, the then editor of Godine, and Douglas Cleverdon. There was a great deal of negotiation between the three about who would do what. The 13 studio photos, heavily annotated in pencil by Ayrton on the reverse, were to show Godine his preliminary sketches and, written by Ayrton, which fragments related to each sketch. He also drafted an introduction and sent that to Godine too.
Whilst discussions continued, Ayrton went to the island of Thasos, home of Archilochos. In a letter to Brooke, he explained that he wanted to rework the illustrations. He had gone to the grave of Archilochos’s friend Glaukos and experienced a solar eclipse on the island and wanted to work up improved images as he saw them. So, the studio photos presented here, are with one or two exceptions, quite different to the finished illustrations. Negotiations collapsed between the parties, and Ayrton’s friend Cleverdon decided instead to go back to plan A: A lavish limited edition in a short print run of 75. Shortly after in November 1975, Ayrton unexpectedly passed away. Secker and Warburg then, two years later, posthumously produced a trade run of Archilochos.
It is a fascinating archive of material, displaying Ayrton’s work ethic and dedication to the project, as he worked and then reworked his illustrations and paired each one with the translated fragments.