In 1975 Abram Games, one of Britain's greatest graphic designers, was commissioned to make a fund-raising poster for the Royal Shakespeare Company. His brilliant solution was to become iconic: the face of Shakespeare built up from the titles of all the plays as they appear in the First Folio.

The poster has been seen all over the world; but Abram Games intended much more. After his death, his daughter Naomi discovered a mock up he had made of a flick book. As the reader flicked the pages, Games planned to make Shakespeare's face gradually emerge.

Now at last Games' original project is coming to life. All 37 plays are included, in the order they are printed in the First Folio of 1623, ending with Pericles, Prince of Tyre, added to the collection in the Third Folio of 1664. At the end, the playwright makes a graceful exit, marked by the poems and the lost or doubtful plays. The book is completed with some favourite quotations, and the date of each work. Naomi Games has written a brief introduction about the history of Games' image.

About the Author

A first-generation Londoner born in 1914, Abram Games designed some of the most iconic and recognisable images of the 20th century. His work was known for its efficiency, directness and humour, and included public information posters, advertisements, book jackets and stamps. From 1942 he was the official war artist for posters, and later he worked for London Transport, BEA and BOAC, the Financial Times and Guinness amongst many others. Most famously, he designed the logo for the Festival of Britain in 1951. His motto was 'maximum meaning, minimum means'. Games was awarded the OBE for services to graphic design and appointed Royal Designer for Industry (RDI), by the Royal Society of Art. He died in 1996.

Book Information
ISBN 9781843681373
Author Abram Games
Format Paperback
Page Count 104
Imprint Pallas Athene Publishers
Publisher Pallas Athene Publishers
Weight(grams) 157g