"Hand in hand, on the edge of the sand, they danced by the light of the moon"
That line closes Edward Lear's "The Owl and the Pussy-Cat" -- one of the most loved poems in the English language, and a fixture of the kind of classic verse Penguin has published for the better part of a century. Hand In Hand takes that exact closing line and hand-paints it into the bold, stencilled typography of a classic Penguin book cover, reworking a children's poem into a tender, grown-up piece about shared, quiet moments.
The painting unfolds in a soft, weathered blue and white, a hand-sprayed heart bleeding down the canvas beneath the word "LOVE," while a single painted penguin stands watch over the line itself. It is 75cm x 100cm, mixed media on canvas, and -- like every piece in the Penguin Book Cover Art collection -- entirely hand-painted rather than printed.
Why this one is the most literal "Penguin Classics" piece in the collection
Most pieces in this collection borrow Penguin's cover design language to carry an original or personal line. Hand In Hand goes a layer further: the words themselves come from a poem that actually belongs to that classic-literature world Penguin built its name on. If you're after a piece that connects directly to that heritage rather than just its look, this is the one.
Original or print
The one-of-one original is available while it remains unsold, or choose it as a fine art print on paper or canvas, framed or unframed. Full details, pricing and sizing are on its artwork page.