A Century of Prints in Britain: 200 highlights from the Arts Council Collection

We love a good book at Creative Boom, so when news landed of the release of A Century of Prints in Britain – an essential guide showcasing over 200 highlights from the Arts Council Collection's renowned print holdings – we were excited.

Presenting an extensive range of artworks, and richly illustrated with prints both modern and contemporary, the book explores the development of the medium through the twentieth century, as well as the diversity of prints being made in the UK today.

Beginning with elegant Edwardian woodcuts, it encompasses the iconic mid-century work of Paul Nash, Graham Sutherland and John Piper, and the startling innovations of 1960s Pop artists such as Richard Hamilton, Eduardo Paolozzi and Bridget Riley. Prints from masterful series by Patrick Caulfield, David Hockney, Chris Ofili and Paula Rego are shown alongside those created for the London 2012 Olympics by leading British artists such as Fiona Banner, Tracey Emin, Gary Hume and Martin Creed.

With a fresh and authoritative new essay, prints expert Julia Beaumont-Jones tells a fascinating and little-told story of a medium that democratised art in the post-war period. Featuring masters of the medium alongside lesser-known practitioners, A Century of Prints in Britain provides a long-overdue survey of this popular form.

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