Title: Pentangle
Medium: 10 Colour silkscreen on 400gsm Arches paper.
Edition size: 100
Image size: 485 x 485 mm
Paper size: 660 x 680 mm
Date: 2002
Signed and numbered by the artist
Glitter inks have been used in colours of green, blue, yellow, orange and purple.
Sir Peter Blake’s Pentangle is
based on the album cover he created for the folk group’s Sweet Child Album in
1968. Completed in September 2002 this print is a celebration of the exquisite talent
of Peter Blake and the famous folk group. Formed in 1967, 'The Pentangle' was inspired by 'Bert and John', a collaborative
album by folk musicians Bert Jansch and John Renbourn.
Vocalist Jacqui McShee, an established figure on the traditional circuit, who
had been working with John for a year and had appeared on his album 'Another
Monday' then joined. The line-up was completed by Danny Thompson and Terry Cox
(drums), both of Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated, in a quintet which would
also embrace blues and jazz forms.
Their respective talents were expertly captured on The Pentangle, where the
delicate acoustic interplay between Jansch and Renbourn was brilliantly
underscored by Thompson's sympathetic support and McShee's soaring intonation. Stylish original material balanced songs pulled from folk's heritage ('Let No
Man Steal Your Thyme', 'Brunton Town'), while the inclusion of the Staple
Singers 'Hear My Call' confirmed the group's eclectism.
This feature was expanded on the double-set Sweet Child, which included two
compositions by jazz bassist Charles Mingus, 'Haitian Fight Song' and 'Goodbye
Pork Pie Hat'. The unit enjoyed considerable commercial success with Basket Of
Light, which included 'Light Flight', the theme song to the UK television
series, Take Three Girls. The group commissioned Sir Peter for the album cover and he worked with them to
develop the Pentangle theme.
The album cover achieved great acclaim and its new incarnation as a famous piece
of folk art of the 1960’s will be sought after by collectors worldwide.
