Barbara Hepworth

Porthmeor belongs to a series of twelve lithographs prepared by Barbara Hepworth and printed by Stanley Jones at the Curwen Studio in London during the spring of 1969. The print was made in two editions of 60, the 'Home' edition, and 30, the overseas edition in which the prints are numbered X1 to X30. This print was an artist’s copy given by Hepworth to one A. S. McDonald of Thurso. In a signed typescript letter dated 17 January 1974, which accompanies the print, Hepworth explained that this was ‘my last copy’ since ‘the lithographs have been much sought after.’ In a handwritten postscript at the bottom of the letter, Hepworth added: ‘The sun sets on Porthmeor BH’.

The full text of the letter is as follows:

Dear Mr. McDonald,

Thank you very much for your kind letter of 11th January, and for the enclosure.

I would like to send you something and I am going to send you an original lithograph, very much inspired by living on a beach of the Atlantic. I do hope you will like it. It is called “PORTHMEOR”, which is the name of the beautiful and wild beach which I find so inspiring here.

I will be very glad to hear from you, as this is my last copy; because the lithographs have been much sought after.

With all my best wishes and thank you for your appreciation.

Yours sincerely,
Barbara Hepworth