"A fascinating, fabulously-presented facsimile of Roland Penrose’s handwritten, seminal 1938 surrealist image diary of the Balkans."
Recently published in two new editions - this one a facsimile of the author’s original hand-written photo book - Roland Penrose’s The Road is Wider Than Long is a glorious reproduction of his surrealist “Image Diary from the Balkans July-August 1938”. Considered to be one of the earliest examples of a British Surrealist photobook, it’s essential for aficionados of photography and art, for anyone interested in the extraordinary life and work of Lee Miller, who inspired its love poem text, and to whom the book is dedicated.
In 1938 author, curator and painter Penrose journeyed around the Balkans with his new lover, Lee Miller, the former model turned exceptional photographer. With the world on the brink of war, the couple documented unique landscapes and their inhabitants through the lens of their cameras - and Surrealism. The images provide intimate insights into communities that were about to be disrupted (if not destroyed) by war, with profound power to make you ponder them at length. Roma feature frequently, with Lee having become close to a particular community who gifted her a hand-embroidered ceremonial sheepskin coat.
When their journey drew to an end, Lee returned to Cairo and Roland to London, where he created The Road is Wider Than Long. This edition of the book is a facsimile of his first hand-written copy, with its soulful surrealist love poem to Lee, and his records and memories of their trip. This book is so wonderfully produced, you feel it could be his actual first copy - the scratches and inconsistencies of ink on paper seem so real. It’s a beautiful reproduction of a document so vital to the Surrealist canon.
See here for our review of the book’s alternate new edition - a facsimile of the version published for London Gallery Editions in 1939.
| Primary Genre | History |
| Other Genres: |
