Great Spirit Book: Portfolio of 20 images and texts.
The Great Spirit collection is a compendium of texts on North American Indian religious creeds, tenets, cults and symbols personally selected by Anthony Quinn. The writings are illustrated with lithographs reproduced from original drawings and paintings by Anthony Quinn.
The Great Spirit collection is a compendium of texts on North American Indian religious creeds, tenets, cults and symbols personally selected by Anthony Quinn. The writings are illustrated with lithographs reproduced from original drawings and paintings by Anthony Quinn.
This magnificent work of art was inspired by Anthony Quinn’s profound feeling of connection with the American Indian. At less than a year old, his mother brought him to the U.S. to escape the civil unrest of the Mexican Revolution. They lived as refugees for years and although he eventually found success as an actor in Hollywood, throughout his life he suffered discrimination and prejudice and rarely felt whole in a land in which he struggled to fit in.
In painting, Anthony felt as though the colors he was drawn to spoke to his Mexican ancestry. The rich earth tones dominated a huge swath of his work. He was proud of his heritage and that pride was evident in his work and actions throughout his life. His sympathy with the plight of the North American Indians was natural and deeply sincere. In 1969, he participated in the Occupation of Alcatraz in support of the Indians of All Tribes protest.
The Great Spirit Book was published in association with French artist and publisher of grand tabletop books, Ariane Lancell and printed from stone plates by Atelier Lithographic Aloys, Arcueil-France on 100% pure cotton rag paper by Arjomari, Paris.
In total, 29 original paintings and drawings of Anthony Quinn’s were selected for the project. 10 color drawings, 1 line-drawing self-portrait and 8 colorful “tiles” printed for the Great Spirit Book and an 10 additional drawings printed for and addendum labeled The Tribal Series.
The total printed edition of each of the 11 images from the Great Spirit and 10 images from Tribal series is 285 and the original plates have been destroyed.
Individual prints are available for sale exclusively from the Estate of Anthony Quinn and from authorized dealers as listed on the anthonyquinn.com website.