Penguin First Editions :: Early First Edition Penguin Books

This series began in April 1944 with MP1 Henry Moore by Geoffrey Grigson. Sir Kenneth Clark, who was then Director of the National Gallery, edited the series, which ended in January 1959, after 19 volumes were published.

The books were well illustrated in colour and monochrome, and were published in landscape format, with a page size of 6¾" x 8½" except for the final book MP20 on Georges Braque

The series was succeeded by PENGUIN NEW ART, aiming 'to introduce the work of younger artists who have already made an acknowledged contribution to contemporary art'. The first book was published in 1971 and featured the work of Frank Stella. The books were produced in 8¾" x 7¼" size. Only 4 volumes were issued (listed below), and all identified by the 'MP' prefix, nos. MP21 to MP24.

Information and cover photographs of the Penguin MODERN PAINTERS Series:

Number: MP1	Series No.: MP1 Title: HENRY MOORE Author: Geoffrey Grigson Series Editor: Sir Kenneth Clark Illustrations 16 pages of colour plates and 16 pages of black and white plates Date Published: April 1944 [printed 1943] Pages: 16pp. + 32pp. Printer: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd; Colour plates by John Swain and Sons Ltd Price: 2/6d.
Number: MP2	Series No.: MP2 Title: GRAHAM SUTHERLAND Author: Edward Sackville-West Series Editor: Sir Kenneth Clark Illustrations 16 pages of colour plates and 16 pages of black and white plates Date Published: April 1944 (printed 1943) Pages: 16pp. + 32pp. Printer: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd; Colour plates by W. F. Sedgwick Ltd Price: 2/6d.
Number: MP3	Series No.: MP3 Title: DUNCAN GRANT Author: Raymond Mortimer Series Editor: Sir Kenneth Clark Illustrations 16 pages of colour plates and 16 pages of black and white plates Date Published: April 1944 Pages: 16pp. + 32pp. Printer: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd; Colour plates by W. F. Sedgwick Ltd Price: 2/6d.
Number: MP4	Series No.: MP4 Title: PAUL NASH Author: Herbert Read Series Editor: Sir Kenneth Clark Illustrations 16 pages of colour plates and 16 pages of black and white plates Date Published: April 1944 Pages: 16pp. + 32pp. Printer: George Pulman and Sons Ltd; Colour plates by John Swain and Sons Ltd Price: 2/6d.
Number: MP5	Series No.: MP5 Title: MATTHEW SMITH Author: Philip Hendy Series Editor: Sir Kenneth Clark Illustrations 16 pages of colour plates and 16 pages of black and white plates Date Published: December 1944 Pages: 16pp. + 32pp. Printer: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd; Colour plates by John Swain and Sons Ltd Price: 2/6d.
Number: MP6	Series No.: MP6 Title: JOHN PIPER Author: John Betjeman Series Editor: Sir Kenneth Clark Illustrations 16 pages of colour plates and 16 pages of black and white plates Date Published: December 1944 Pages: 16pp. + 32pp. Printer: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd; Colour plates by John Swain and Sons Ltd Price: 2/6d.
Number: MP7	Series No.: MP7 Title: EDWARD BURRA Author: John Rothenstein Series Editor: Sir Kenneth Clark Illustrations 16 pages of colour plates and 16 pages of black and white plates Date Published: December 1945 Pages: 16pp. + 32pp. Printer: John Swain and Sons Ltd; Colour plates by W. F. Sedgwick Ltd Price: 2/6d.
Number: MP8	Series No.: MP8 Title: VICTOR PASMORE Author: Clive Bell Series Editor: Sir Kenneth Clark Illustrations 16 pages of colour plates and 16 pages of black and white plates Date Published: December 1945 Pages: 16pp. + 32pp. Printer: John Swain and Sons Ltd; Colour plates by W. F. Sedgwick Ltd Price: 2/6d.
Number: MP9	Series No.: MP9 Title: EDWARD BAWDEN Author: J. M. Richards Series Editor: Sir Kenneth Clark Illustrations 16 pages of colour plates and 16 pages of black and white plates Date Published: November 1947 (printed 1946) Pages: 16pp. + 32pp. Printer: The Baynard Press; Colour plates by John Swain and Sons Ltd Price: 3/6d.
Number: MP10	Series No.: MP10 Title: STANLEY SPENCER Author: Eric Newton Series Editor: Sir Kenneth Clark Illustrations 16 pages of colour plates and 16 pages of black and white plates Date Published: September 1947 Pages: 16pp. + 32pp. Printer: Silk and Terry Ltd; Colour plates by John Swain and Sons Ltd Price: 3/6d. Photograph of Dust Jacket also shown
Number: MP11	Series No.: MP11 Title: BEN SHAHN Author: James Thrall Soby Series Editor: Sir Kenneth Clark American Editor: Alfred H. Barr, Jr. Illustrations 16 pages of colour plates and 16 pages of black and white plates Date Published: September 1947 Pages: 20pp. + 32pp. Printer: The Baynard Press Ltd; Colour plates by John Swain and Sons Ltd Price: 3/6d. Date Published: September 1947 Photograph of alternative cover also shown Published by: Museum of Modern Art, New York, and Penguin Books This appears to be an alternative printing, presumably geared at the American market Price: No price given
Number: MP12	Series No.: MP12 Title: WILLIAM NICHOLSON Author: Robert Nicholls Series Editor: Sir Kenneth Clark Illustrations 16 pages of colour plates and 16 pages of black and white plates Date Published: December 1948 Pages: 16pp. + 32pp. Printer: The Baynard Press Ltd; Colour plates by John Swain and Sons Ltd Price: 3/6d. Photograph of Dust Jacket also shown
Number: MP13	Series No.: MP13 Title: BEN NICHOLSON Author: John Summerson Series Editor: Sir Kenneth Clark Dust Cover Illustration: *Painted Relief* Illustrations 16 pages of colour plates and 16 pages of black and white plates Date Published: August 1948 Pages: 16pp. + 32pp. Printer: Silk and Terry Ltd; Colour plates by John Swain and Sons Ltd Price: 3/6d. Cover made of stiff card; brown colour. Photograph of Dust Jacket also shown
Number: MP14	Series No.: MP14 Title: FRANCES HODGKINS Author: Mary Myfanwy Evans (Piper) Series Editor: Sir Kenneth Clark Illustrations 16 pages of colour plates and 16 pages of black and white plates Date Published: December 1948 Pages: 20pp. + 32pp. Printer: The Baynard Press; Colour plates by W. F. Sedgwick Ltd Price: 3/6d. An alternative version, made with blue/grey cover and Dust Jacket with Wings on Water (1935), was produced for 5/- Photograph of Dust Jacket also shown
Number: MP15	Series No.: MP15 Title: DAVID JONES Author: Robin Ironside Series Editor: Sir Kenneth Clark Illustrations 16 pages of colour plates and 16 pages of black and white plates Dust Jacket: 'Violin', 1932, watercolour drawing (Victoria and Albert Museum, London) Date Published: April 1949 Pages: 20pp. + 32pp. Printer: The Baynard Press; Colour plates by W. F. Sedgwick Ltd Price: 3/6d. Photograph of Dust Jacket also shown
Number: MP16	Series No.: MP16 Title: PAUL KLEE Author: Douglas Cooper Series Editor: Sir Kenneth Clark Illustrations 16 pages of colour plates and 16 pages of black and white plates Date Published: July 1949 Pages: 16pp. + 32pp. Printer: Hazell, Watson and Viney Ltd; Colour plates made by The Sun Engraving Co Ltd and printed by John Swain and Sons Ltd Price: 3/6d.
Number: MP17	Series No.: MP17 Title: IVON HITCHENS Author: Patrick Heron Series Editor: Sir Kenneth Clark Illustrations 16 pages of colour plates and 16 pages of black and white plates Date Published: November 1955 Pages: 16pp. + 32pp. Printer: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd; Colour plates by John Swain and Sons Ltd Price: 7/6d. This book (MP17) was originally intimated as being Edward Ardizzone by V. S. Prichett Photograph of Dust Jacket also shown
Number MP18	Series No.: MP18 THIS NUMBER (No. MP18) WAS NOT USED. A new book was announced as S.O.S. Pedro Figari by C. Denby Miller, but was never published.
Number MP19	Series No.: MP19 Title: EDWARD HOPPER Author: Lloyd Goodrich Series Editor: Sir Kenneth Clark American Editor: Alfred H. Barr Jr Illustrations 16 pages of colour plates and 16 pages of black and white plates Date Published: February 1950 [printed date: 1949] Pages: 20pp. + 32pp. Printer: The Baynard Press; Colour plates by John Swain and Sons Ltd Price: 3/6d.
Number MP20	Series No.: MP20 Title: GEORGES BRAQUE Author: John Richardson Illustrations 16 pages of colour plates and 16 pages of black and white plates Date Published: January 1959 Pages: 32pp. + 32pp. Printer: Tillotsons Ltd Price: 8/6d. This volume was published in the vertical or 'portrait' format.
Number MP21	Penguin NEW ART Series No.: MP21 Title: FRANK STELLA Author: Robert Rosenblum Date Published: 1971 Design by Gerald Cinamon Date Published: 1971 Pages: 64pp. Printer: made in the USA Price: 90p 18/-
Number MP22	Penguin NEW ART Series No.: MP22 Title: PATRICK CAULFIELD Author: Christopher Finch Edited: by Richard Morphet Design by Gerald Cinamon Date Published: 1971 Pages: 64pp. Printer: made in the USA Price: 90p 18/-
Number MP23	Penguin NEW ART Series No.: MP23 Title: ROBYN DENNY Author: David Thompson Design by Gerald Cinamon Date Published: 1971 Pages: 64pp. Printer: Filmset in 'Monophoto' Univers by Photoprint Plates Ltd; Colour by Van Leer, Amsterdam Price: 90p 18/-
Number MP24	Penguin NEW ART Series No.: MP24 Title: CLAES OLDENBURG Author: Ellen H. Johnson Design by Gerald Cinamon Date Published: 1971 Pages: 64pp. Printer: made in the USA Price: 90p 18/-

Grateful Thanks: The above book cover images of the Penguin Modern Painters series were taken at the Centre for Research Collections, University of Edinburgh Library, and the Penguin New Art series at the Mitchell Penguin Collection, University of Stirling Library.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: penguinfirsteditions.com gratefully acknowledges the kind permission of PENGUIN BOOKS LTD. (UK) to reproduce its book covers and, where incorporated, its various logos. We would remind users of this site that, as appropriate, Penguin Books Ltd. and its designers retain their copyright and/or intellectual property in the relevant material.