Under a Glass Bell by Ian Hugo
Under a Glass Bell
Ian Hugo
Title
Under a Glass Bell
Artist
Year
1944
Technique
engraving and soft-ground etching, printed in relief
Image Size
10 x 12 1/16" platemark
Signature
pencil, lower right
Edition Size
38 of 50
Annotations
titled, lower center, dated after signature
Reference
Moser: Atelier 17 no. 58; illustrated on page 32
Paper
cream wove
State
published
Publisher
artist
Inventory ID
19323
Price
SOLD
Description
Though editioned at 50, each impression of "Under a Glass Bell" is printed differently. Hugo started engraving at Atelier 17 in New York and the experimental nature of the atelier continued through to his work with Anais. A portion of the imagery of this engraving with soft-ground etching was used as the cover illustration for Hugo's wife Anais Nin’s book "Under A Glass Bell." Hugo provided the images used in many of Nin's publications, which they published themselves. Although "Under a Glass Bell" is now considered one of Anaïs Nin’s finest collections of stories, it was initially deemed unpublishable. Refusing to give up on her vision, in 1944 Nin founded her own press and brought out the first edition, illustrated with striking black-and-white engravings by her husband, Hugh Guiler (Ian Hugo). Shortly thereafter, it caught the attention of literary critic Edmund Wilson, who reviewed the collection in the New Yorker. The first printing sold out in three weeks.