Poems by Frank O'Hara

New York: The Limited Editions Club. Fine. 1989. Limited Edition. Hardcover. Large Folio (17 3/4 x 22). One of LEC Livre d'Artiste editions celebrating to remarkable artist in their own fields. A selection of 13 poems by Frank O'Hara, 10 of which was published in 'The Collected Poems of Frank O'Hara" in 1971, and another 3 poems that were discovered later. On a tragic summer night in 1966, O'Hara was run over by a beach taxi. He was widely mourned as both a man of letters and as the curator at The Museum of Modern Art. He was honored with a memorial edition of his poetry illustrated by the artist who knew and loved him including the great Abstract Expressionist William de Kooning. De Kooning drawings were presented to NY Museum of Modern Art with a stipulation that they are not shown as finished work, but as a step towards the creation of original lithographs. This book came a quarter century later and these mylar drawings were transferred to lithographic plates and printed under supervision of the artist and the Museum of Modern Art, solely for the use in this edition. Seventeen of de Kooning 18 charcoal drawings are reproduced here for the first time. Each edition is signed with a facsimile signature authorized by de Kooning, who was already at an advance age suffering from Alzheimer's at the time. This copy being #176 of 550. Laid in is the original Monthly Letter booklet #561 and the original invoice from LEC for $8 000. The slipcase is in NF condition and the book in Fine Condition. This is an oversized book and additional shipping cost may apply ; Lithograph; Folio 13" - 23" tall; Signed by Illustrator .