Production Narrative

by J. Drucker

The first linoleum cuts were done in the spring of 2005, along with initial research and study. The bulk of the texts and drawings were created during summer of 2005. The layout dummy was made in summer 2005, all in one longish weekend of drawing and calligraphing the compositions. The linoleum cuts were made throughout spring and summer, with one additional cut for Lilith added at the end of the summer. The printing was done from summer 2005 through summer 2006 at the Virginia Arts of the Book Center using Goudy Bold, in part because it was one of the few typefaces that we had in a range of sizes and with enough font material to set these texts.

Critical Analysis

by J. Drucker

Design Features

typographic: Goudy bold was chosen on purpose to suit the neo-expressionist quality of the linoleum cuts.

imagery: LInoleum cuts have a neo-expressionist quality of certain religious art.

graphical: Compositions are asymmetrical.

openings: THe layout is structured across the spreads, with a clear sense of the gutter.

turnings: These are fairly traditional, though the variations in the layouts do create a sense of rhythm from one spread to the next.

development: A series of portraits, rather than a developing narrative or structure, though Lilith closes the book and Eve opens, providing bookends. The historical progression of biblical narratives is also a determining structure.

sequence: Nothing notable.

textual: The texts have several discrete elements: scriptual citation, descriptions of a "real" woman on whom the figure is based, a retelling of the tale, and a "lesson" offered to the reader.

structure: The structure is a codex, standard format.

conceptual:

intratextual:

scultpural features:

temporal features:

other features:

Critical Discussion

Testament deliberately engages historical models and contemporary women in the production of heretical lessons that push against patriarchy or submission to it. The text refuses conciliatory or submissive attitudes, and rewrites whole stories and their outcomes in order to suggest that the patriarchal legacy is still so insidiously present that it requires vigilance and active resistance in role models for women.

General Comments

[J. Drucker]

Testament of Women

Agents

Johanna Drucker

type: initiating

role:
Cut blocks
author
printer
typographer
designer Decorated papers

nationality:
born: US

location:

dates:
birth: 1952-05-30

note: [J. Drucker]

Publication Information

edition type: editioned

publisher: Druckwerk and Granary

place: Charlottesville

dates:
publication: 2006-07-15

edition size: 40 copies

note: THis book was originally conceived as a Druckwerk project and Steve Clay offered to take it on as a Granary book. The title page was altered to include the additional information and also a second date, as the production took longer than expected. [J. Drucker]

Measurements

horizontal: inches closed

vertical: inches closed

Production Information

production means:
letterpress (local)
linoleum (local)

binding: case binding (AAT)

substrate:
bookBlock: paper

media:
ink (local) Rubber base black.

other materials:

Appearance

general description: Vivid poppy silk covers the boards and gives the book a contemporary feeling. The format is large enough to command some respect, but not so large as to be awkward to handle.

format: codex (AAT) Jacquonnette Binding

cover: Silk covered boards

color: no

devices: none

enclosures:
item:

Content

pagination: unpaginated

numbered?: numbered

signed?: signed

Colophon

To be entered.

Exhibition Information

exhibition history: "Beyond Words," Sewanee, University of the South, Fall 2006 "Complicit Codex," Les Yeux du Monde, Charlottesville, Fall 2006 "Book Arts: Action/Interaction," Columbia College, Summer 2007

reception history: Same as work.

Related Documents

manuscript type: other

location: artist's archive

note: All are preserved in the artist's archives.

General Comments

[J. Drucker]