ABSTRACT DESIGNS. An Exhibition of Paintings and Fantasies by Stephen Tennant at the Sagittarius Gallery, Rome, 1st to 10th April 1956. With Two Autograph Letters from Tennant to Nora Smallwood.

An original exhibition catalogue with two essays and a poem. Signed by the author. Inscribed presentation copy. Original stapled white card covers with an illustration by Stephen Tennant to the upper cover. A very good copy, the binding firm with some rubbing and a small split at the base of the spine. Annotated to the cover and nine internal pages in blue ink by Stephen Tennant. A few of the pages with marks and stains to the margins. Loosely laid in are two autograph letters, dated 24th and 30th January 1973 from Tennant to Nora Smallwood, four full sides over two leaves, containing original poetry, musings on the current appetite for poetry, Willa Cather small illustrations and a request to design some dustjackets for her (the recipient was an editor and publisher at Chatto and Windus and The Hogarth Press).

Inscribed on the front cover "For Norah [sic] Smallwood - from Stephen Tennant / With kindest thoughts, and Best wishes / Always / January 1973", The exhibition list page further inscribed "I wish you had seen / this Exhibition. / We had two in New York / and three in London / I hope this catalogue will / Amuse you. / ST". In addition to a list of artworks, the catalogue includes two essays 'Abstract Art is a Clarifier' and 'A Reassessment of Poetry', concluding with 'On Lover's Earth', a poem.