THE MARCHES is Alan Powers's lithographic tour of the Welsh borders, accompanied by a specially written: sequence of sonnets by Peter Levi. This is a portfolio edition of pictures and text inspired by the great colour plate travel books published in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and by John Piper's Brighton Aquatints published in 1939. These distinguished predecessors are now so sought after as to be beyond the reach of all but a few collectors.

The borders of England and Wales are filled with memories of the early Romantic movement and its travellers in search of the picturesque. Alan Powers' lithographs, with Peter Levi's poems, are conceived as a tour beginning at Lancaut, just above Chepstow, and travelling northwards via Capel-y-ffin, Hay Bluff, Shobdon, Montgomery, Powys Castle and Chirk to Flint Castle on the Dee Estuary.

THE ARTIST Alan Powers was born in London in 1955 and studied Art History at Cambridge. He combines academic study with painting landscapes and buildings in Italy and England, and has also painted murals in the classical style. His work has been exhibited in Cambridge, London and Cornwall. He produced The Seaside Lithographs, a set of eight prints for The Spectator in 1986 and sixteen lithographs for the portfolio The English Tivoli in 1988. He is the author of Shop Fronts and co-author with Clive Aslet of The National Trust Book of the English House.

THE POET Peter Levi was born in 1931 and studied at Oxford for the Jesuit priesthood. He made his reputation as a poet while still in the Order. He was known as a Greek scholar, translator and travel writer. Alan Powers suggested the collaboration for The Marches after reading The Flutes of Autumn.

THE LITHOGRAPHS The eight lithographs have been drawn on plates by the artist at the Curwen Studio and printed by Adrian Lack at the Senecio Press on acid-free 240gsm Rivoli paper. The images (six in colour and two in monochrome) measure approximately 10 by 14 inches and the paper size is 12.5 by 16.5 inches. Each print is numbered, titled and signed by the artist.

THE TEXT The text is a linked series of eight sonnets written by Peter Levi to complement Alan Powers' pictures. The artist has added topographical notes. Each lithograph is presented in a folder with the appropriate text printed by Sebastian Carter at the Rampant Lions Press.

THE PORTFOLIOS The portfolios are handmade solander boxes by Smith Settle using a decorated paste paper specially made by the artist.

Portfolios: The Seaside Lithographs

Merivale Prints: Sissinghurst

Merivale Prints: Lord Berners' Folly