Peter Firmin, original artist's print, Bartok String Quartet No 3, 2007. 6 of 10

Size:  Size of sheet 64 x 36 cm, printed image about 45 x 36 cm mounted on board 67 x 59 cm.

Condition:  As new condition, mounted at top edge onto grey board with tissue guard underneath.

Peter Firmin (1928-2018) is best known as an artist and puppet maker who, along with Oliver Postgate, created a number of successful children's TV programmes, including The Saga of Noggin the Nog, Ivor the Engine, The Clangers, Bagpuss and Pogles' Wood.  By training he was an artist, and after retiring from TV production in the late 1980s he worked as a printmaker, in the same barn at his home where his famous creations were made.

This print is a combination of woodcut and linocut, the woodcut portion providing a grained appearance and the linocut the bright solid colours.  It is signed by the artist and dated 12.07, and titled by him "Bartok String Quartet No 3".  It is number 6 of an edition of 10. On the back of the mount is the artist's label and another label noting that it is from the Bartok Series.

Firmin trained at the Colchester School of Art in Colchester, and after National Service in the Royal Navy, Central School of Art and Design in London. He worked in a stained glass studio, as an illustrator and as a lecturer. While he was teaching at Central School of Art he met Oliver Postgate, and the pair went on to form Smallfilms, which was active from 1958 to the late 1980s. Firmin also illustrated childrens' books related to his TV work and other books.