Nelson and Emma: Aphrodite & Ares Contemplate Admiral Nelson & Lady Hamilton, 2008

Charles Hobson is a Bay Area treasure, both for his own finely made exquisite artworks in the book medium and for his endless support of all artists in the book world. His books are characterized by elegant choices in materials and delicately wrought imagery as well as a profound respect for his subject matter.

Nelson and Emma is Hobson's newest edition
He ingeniously makes a parallel between the affair of Admiral Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton with that of Ares and Aphrodite, both of which ended in scandal and ridicule. The connections between love and war become very clear.

The book is in an edition of 35 copies. The slipcase was made by John deMerritt and features a kind of netted texture which suggests netting in a boat at sea. A lenticular photograph on the cover varies from a reclining temptress to a ship at sea. The book is built around five signatures called "intermezzos" attached to a concertina spine. Each intermezzo has an original (and therefore unique) abstract acrylic painting on paper by Charles Hobson; an image of an historic sea battle printed on transparent film; a Renaissance-era painting of Aphrodite colored with acrylic wash; and a page with cutout windows. At the end of the book, the viewer is treated to a pop-up square rigger with and image of Aphrodite. (Click second thumbnail to see a detail.)

$2750

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