Teeming with Life. John Olsen : his complete graphics 1957 – 2011

Melbourne : Macmillan, 2011. Folio, black boards with silver design to front, in dust jacket, pp. 304, illustrated in colour, a fine copy. Catalogue raisonne of Olsen’s prodigious graphic output. The second edition, revised. Near new copy.

Teeming with Life. John Olsen : his complete graphics 1957 – 2023 was first published in an edition of 1500 copies in 2005. The edition quickly sold out, and a second printing (with different dustjacket) was issued the same year. In 2011, a revised edition (the second edition, this edition) was published by Macmillan, which included all of the artist’s etchings made since 2005 and any revisions to the text.

After an extensive search to locate any of John Olsen’s prints that may be missing from the first edition of this popular book, this edition includes all of the artist’s etchings made since 2005 when this book was last published. The recent etchings retain all the verve and joie de vivre that is associated with John Olsen’s art in whatever medium. They include new frogs and a series titled ‘Life Class’, with his witty interpretations of artists ‘drawing from the model’. Other recent works include his fabulous version of ‘Humpty Dumpty’.