Do you recognise these books?
Plant, Trilogy and Balthus is going to be part of an exhibition on the work of Canadian painter Frederick Hagan (1918–2003) at the MacLaren Art Centre this summer and curator Ben Portis would like your helps identifying the Penguin paperbacks in the picture (click the image above for a closer look).
The only other clues we have are that the books form a trilogy and were published prior to 1982.
If you recognise the books or have any further thoughts or suggestions, please leave a comment below or drop me a line and I’ll pass them on to Ben.
Here are the full details of the painting:
Plant, Trilogy and Balthus, 1982
Frederick Hagan (Canadian, 1918–2003)
oil on hardboard
40.4 x 60.6 cm
Thanks!
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Wild stab in the dark: Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast trilogy?
A wild stab in the dark is so apropos for the Gormenghast trilogy. ;- )
But Gormenghast does seem to be a popular call and it would fit with the darker tone of the painting, but I’m not sure though… ?
These are the relevant Gormenghast covers: http://pictures.abebooks.com/YARROW/3185189570.jpg
They don’t seem quite right, but it’s possible.
What about Joyce Carey’s First Trilogy. I can’t find the covers online for ‘To Be a Pilgrim’ or ‘The Horse’s Mouth’, but it might be them.
Thanks JRSM. Gormenghast is the popular call on Twitter, but I’m not sure I buy it. There are similarities, but there are some striking differences too, and it doesn’t quite feel right to me.
I don’t know the Joyce Carey covers unfortunately… Maybe someone has scans?