A Universal Lexicon

Somerville, MA: Sarah Hulsey, 2018. Hardcover. Fine. Hardcover. Number 19 of 30 copies. Includes an excerpt from "The Assayer" by Galileo in the original Italian with an English translation, accompanied with illustrations of their sounds, syntax, and logic. "In one of the most important scientific treatises of his era, Galileo compared the act of understanding the universe to reading a book in the language of mathematics. By comprehending the symbols and figures of this 'grand book,' one could avoid wandering about in a dark labyrinth of confusion. This artist's book uses the vehicle of translation - between languages, of text to image, and across domains (truncated) of language - to illuminate the mathematics and science of linguistics underlying Galileo's text. Illustrations representing the sounds, syntax, and logic alternate between Italian and English, providing a route through the arguments of text" (artist's statement).

Sarah Hulsey has studied linguistics, fine art, and letterpress at Harvard, MIT, the University of the Arts, and the Bow and Arrow Press. Her work combines her interests to explore "the visual possibilities inherent in language" (artist's website). She was awarded a 2020 Artist Fellowship from the Massachusetts Cultural Council in Drawing and Printmaking and the 2016 Walter Feldman Fellowship for Emerging Artists in New England. Her work is held in institutional collections across the US including the Center for Book Arts in NY, Rhode Island School of Design, the Library of Congress, and Yale University.

Hand-bound in grey paper covered boards with black title and illustration to front board. Brown linen spine. Includes two fold out illustrations. Letterpress printed from hand set Merrymount Dutch (Janson) type and metal relief plates on handmade paper. Housed in a brown linen covered slipcase with ribbon pull and paper title label to spine panel. In fine condition. [16 pages.] Size: 7.25 x 5.25. ARTB/100124. (Inventory #: 37501)