The Valley of Fear

by Austin Osman Spare

With an introductory essay by Robert Ansell

It is sometimes observed that there are periods in our lives when the world around us seems to conspire against our most vital interests. For Austin Osman Spare, the darkest of these periods began in 1924. Then recently seperated from his wife and living in reduced circumstances, the critical failure of his publishing venture The Golden Hind triggered a deep personal crisis for our artist. Disconnected from an evolving art world, Spare’s creative energies turned inward and he began a series of extraordinarily powerful works intended to fully capture his bitter desperation and fragile hope.

As one of these major ‘lost’ works The Valley of Fear is an unpublished sketchbook of 20 vigourous yet haunting studies from this bleak and difficult period. Designed as a companion volume to The Book of Ugly Ecstasy (Fulgur, 1996) here the delicately tinted original drawings have been reproduced in full colour. The work has been augmented by an introductory essay by Robert Ansell in which the metaphysical themes are explored and Spare’s methodologies for creating states of magical aesthesis for his audience are examined and discussed.

large 4to, h.308mm x w.236mm
48 pages
printed in full colour

A standard issue of 741 numbered copies, 700 of which are for sale, bound in cloth with dust-jacket.

£40.00 plus p&p

Customer Comments

“The Valley of Fear arrived today and once again you guys have done an outstanding job. Every single Fulgur Ltd book has been an example of fine aesthetic unity in books arts. It is always a pleasure to receive a new volume. The dustwrapper design is awesome.. as is the entire book. Thank you so much.”

“Thanks for the prompt response. The Valley of Fear has arrived and is, as I have come to expect from Fulgur, an astonishing book.”

“Just to let you know that The Valley of Fear arrived safely. It is truly a fantastic piece of work, and I am very impressed indeed. It has been well worth the long wait, and I’m sure you are very pleased to see it finally in the hands of people that appreciate Spare’s work. Thankyou so much for producing such wonderful talismans…”

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