Tennyson wrote “The Holy Grail,” a poem about striving toward unattainable perfection, in 1834. I got my hands on a beautiful antique copy, published in 1870. The cover is beautifully bound and well-worn — the most inspiring canvas for a troubled muse.

This painting is the first I’ve done on an open book. It’s very fragile and rather thick (about an inch deep, laying flat, opened to the center). I’ve had it professionally framed with a float mount to preserve the depth, texture, and rich history.

The book measures 10 in. x 7 in. approximately. Framed, the artwork measures 14 in x 11 in.