Pablo Neruda’s astonishing love poems are the most beloved and oft-quoted works of a towering figure in Latin American letters. Awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971, Neruda was revered throughout his lifetime as Chile’s “poet of the people” and is considered one of the 20th century’s most influential poets. Arion Press is honored to present the first fine press bilingual edition of his celebrated cycle of 100 sonnets, printed in English and Spanish on historic handmade paper in collaboration with four renowned contemporary Latinx artists.

Click here to read the full prospectus.

The Paper: In 1987, a renowned paper mill on a tributary of the River Thames, Hayle Mill, couched its final sheet of handmade paper. “Finale,” made of 100% flax, was the last paper made there by Barcham Green, which also crafted the bespoke paper on which Arion’s monumental Moby-Dick was printed in 1979. The paper used in this book, then, is historic: the last of its kind and of special significance to the Press.

Deluxe copies are accompanied by an extra print by Enrique Chagoya, a silhouette portrait of Pablo Neruda and Matilde Urrutia embracing. These are imprinted by relief from polymer plates in red ink on 250 gsm Stonehenge, 15 by 12 inches, housed in presentation envelopes, and signed by the artist.

Production Details

• Octavo format, 9-1/4 x 6-1/4 inches, 232 pages

• Printed by letterpress on all-flax 150 gsm handmade Barcham Green “Finale”

• Bilingual text printed from metal types cast onsite expressly for the project

• Graphic, two-tone covers imprinted in bordeaux, bronze, and black inks

• Frontispieces for each section are tipped by hand into blind debossed frames

• Arion Press publication #123, 2022

The Fine Press Edition

• Smyth-sewn, square-backed binding

• Unique spine treatment of brown cloth mounted at an angle

• Cloth-and-paper slipcase imprinted front and back in black and bordeaux inks

• Bordeaux-colored headbands

• Limited to 190 copies for sale

The Deluxe Edition

• Smyth-sewn with spines rounded by hand

• Tan calfskin spines debossed with a graphic line pattern and mounted at an angle

• Five-color handsewn silk headbands

• Full-cloth slipcase with tan calfskin spine label

• Accompanied by an extra relief print

• Limited to 35 copies for sale