Six individual broadsides were designed and letterpress printed by Richard Kegler for the exhibition Embracing Earth: Burchfield & Whitman July 12- October 27, 2024 at the Burchfield Penney Art Center, Buffalo, New York. The commission was an unusual combination of creating auxiliary material for the exhibition itself and an extended edition of 55 each for resale during the exhibition.
Each broadside is printed letterpress on 118# Boxcar Flurry cover (cotton - soft white) paper. The typeface used is Ronaldson Pro designed by Patrick Griffin of Canada Type. It is a revival of Ronaldson Oldstyle which was first released in 1884 and is considered the first original text face created in North America. As a contemporary of Whitman's writing, this typeface was the obvious choice for this broadside series.
The prints are also available directly from the Burchfield Penney Art Center.
Each print is 2 colors, 12" x 18" in size, signed and numbered on back with a printed colophon.
#1 of 6
From “When Lilacs Last in the Door-yard Bloom’d” (1881) by Walt Whitman
Detail of Sketch of Lilacs by Charles E. Burchfield
#2 of 6
From “When Lilacs Last in the Door-yard Bloom’d” (1881) by Walt Whitman
Detail of Song of the Veery (1918-56) by Charles E. Burchfield
#3 of 6
“The First Dandelion” (1891) by Walt Whitman
Detail of Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) (c. 1911-12) by Charles E. Burchfield
#4 of 6
from “Song of Myself” (1855) by Walt Whitman
Detail of Wallpaper Ideas (c. 1921-29) by Charles E. Burchfield
#5 of 6
“A Noiseless Patient Spider” (1881) by Walt Whitman
Detail of Thistle with Spider (1961) by Charles E. Burchfield
#6 of 6
from “Song of Myself” (1881) by Walt Whitman
Detail of Mullein, From Genesse Road at Moore (1963) by Charles E. Burchfield
From “When Lilacs Last in the Door-yard Bloom’d” (1881) by Walt Whitman
Detail of Sketch of Lilacs by Charles E. Burchfield
#2 of 6
From “When Lilacs Last in the Door-yard Bloom’d” (1881) by Walt Whitman
Detail of Song of the Veery (1918-56) by Charles E. Burchfield
#3 of 6
“The First Dandelion” (1891) by Walt Whitman
Detail of Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) (c. 1911-12) by Charles E. Burchfield
#4 of 6
from “Song of Myself” (1855) by Walt Whitman
Detail of Wallpaper Ideas (c. 1921-29) by Charles E. Burchfield
#5 of 6
“A Noiseless Patient Spider” (1881) by Walt Whitman
Detail of Thistle with Spider (1961) by Charles E. Burchfield
#6 of 6
from “Song of Myself” (1881) by Walt Whitman
Detail of Mullein, From Genesse Road at Moore (1963) by Charles E. Burchfield