Wittgenstein at the cinema thumbnail 1
Request to view

This object can be requested via email from the Prints & Drawings Study Room

Wittgenstein at the cinema

Print
1965 (Published)
Artist/Maker

Screenprint from a series of 12 based on texts titled 'Notebooks' and 'Philosophical Investigations' by the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. Each signed and dated in pencil. Eduardo Paolozzi 1965. Some dated on the plate and lettered within the design with title. Each signed and dated in pencil. Eduardo Paolozzi 1965. Some dated on the plate and lettered within the design with title. Numbered 51/65.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleWittgenstein at the cinema
Materials and techniques
Screenprint
Brief description
'Wittgenstein at the cinema' screen print by Eduardo Paolozzi, from the series As Is When, 1965.
Physical description
Screenprint from a series of 12 based on texts titled 'Notebooks' and 'Philosophical Investigations' by the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. Each signed and dated in pencil. Eduardo Paolozzi 1965. Some dated on the plate and lettered within the design with title. Each signed and dated in pencil. Eduardo Paolozzi 1965. Some dated on the plate and lettered within the design with title. Numbered 51/65.
Dimensions
  • Height: 964mm
  • Whole sheet width: 660mm
Taken from Departmental Circulation Register 1967
Production typeLimited edition
Copy number
51/65
Marks and inscriptions
  • 51/65

    Note
    In pencil

  • Eduardo Paolozzi 65

    Note
    In pencil

Object history
Suite originally housed in green cloth and silver slip-case with printed text on front in silver ‘EDUARDO PAOLOZZI AS IS WHEN’ [and] ‘ea’ (logo). Inside this a maroon cloth portfolio box with blue binders, cloth spine and green lining and ribbon. On the portfolio cover a silver printed Paolozzi design of geometric bricks with X and = and concentric circle and windmill pattern in front of which an image of Mickey Mouse running and a sculpture of Laocoön behind him.
Box is unnumbered and stored elsewhere, currently (2011) at the back of '1st Mezz' in the National Art Library.
Remaining Inside are 4 sheets with ‘ea’ (logo) embossed in lower right and on each sheet (description and transcript):
Sheet 1: Bright coloured poster with patterned design representing the same image as on the cover but in reverse and barely discernable with ‘AS IS WHEN’ in purple and orange geometric patterned text. Below text in blue ‘A series of screen prints based on the life and writings of Ludwig Wittgenstein’. Below this in pink ‘EDUARDO PAOLOZZI’ / Editions Alecto 27 Kelso Place London W8’.
Sheet 2: ‘EDUARDO PAOLOZZI AS IS WHEN’ [and] ‘ea’ (logo) in black.
Sheet 4: AS IS WHEN / Images Printer Kelpra Studio, London / Paper 133lbs. H.P. J. Green / Techniques Eduardo Paolozzi assembles collage specifically to provide the first / statement from which stencils are developed by a combination of / photograph and manual separates; he controls all aspects of the work as / handled physically by the Master Printer. The image is built up by multiple / printings through a colour chart, the final statement in each case / varying according to the programme of colour selection. This is possible / only by the use of precision techniques and photo-mechanical aids. / Portfolio Album Zaehnsdorf Limited, London / Type Unwers Bold / Poster and Original Text The Artist / Publishers Editions Alecto, London, as portfolios of twelve screen prints in numbered / and signed edition limited to 65 with 12 sets of Artist’s Proofs / [Acknowledgments]’.
Sheet 3: Page of text titled: ‘Wild Track for Ludwig / The Kakafon Kakkoon Laka con Elektrik Lafs / The first of the four labyrinths […. ] sufferer. / April 1965 / Set number 51/65 [edition number in pencil] Eduardo Paolozzi’.
Dims. of box: 101 x 69.5 x 2.5cm. Condition of box: Bowed slip-case. Scuffed.
Production
Printed at the Kelpra Studio.
Subject depicted
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • The following excerpt is from Pat Gilmour, Modern Prints London: Studio Vista, 1970. pp.30 and 59: 'Paolozzi was another artist early on the Kelpra screen printing scene...Studying Surrealist documents in France, Paolozzi noticed how tatty and brown mass media collages became. this drawback to unique collage is overcome by screen printing, for the completely disparate imagery can be smoothly unified. Paolozzi achieved the medium's first masterpiece with his brilliant As is When portfolio (page 59) based on the life and writings of the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. The series integrated elements from various visual languages-crochet patterns, engineering diagrams, Woolworth's papers-and even went on giving birth to itself when spoils from and earlier sheet in the series were collaged into Wittgenstein the Soldier.'
  • Taken from Departmental Circulation Register: As Is When. Plates (12) from the portfolio of 12 plates, poster and introductory text. In an edition of 65 with each print in a different colourway. Printed at Kelpra studio, published by Editions Alecto 1965 Each signed and dated in pencil. Eduardo Paolozzi 1965. Some dated on the plate and lettered within the design with title. Numbered 51/65. Colour screenprints Inspired by the life and writings of Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein and containing contextual quotations from his work Literature: Pat Gilmour, Modern Prints, 1970 pp. 30, 93 Frank Whitford, Eduardo Paolozzi, Exhibition Catalogue, Tate Gallery, 1971 F.W.: pp 20-22 D.K.: pp 92-98 Exhibitions: Editions Alecto, London, As Is When, 1965 Editions Alecto, London, Graphics in the Sixties, 1965 Galerie Mikro, Berlin, 1969 etc.
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.561-1967

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
Download as: JSON