The Dolly Sisters

Hand painted water coloured photopolymer etching on paper
49 x 39 cm
Edition of 10

New print featuring the Jazz age starlets 'The Dolly Sisters', twins of Hungarian descent who found fame and fortune in America, first as vaudeville performers and later as Hollywood silver-screen sirens. The pair of bon vivants were known not only for their talents, but also their lavish tastes, famous lovers and a propensity for gambling, nearly bankrupting the founder of Selfridges stores Harry Selfridge.

The set of this piece started life as a wine box, which the artist has adorned with lace, buttons, ribbon and some of her grandfathers handmade ceramic beads and chains. The arch shaped etching plate was cut by Emerson's father, so it's a family affair and represents three generations of craftsmanship.

The photopolymer etching process unifies the image leaving the boundaries blurred between the real and the fabricated, the characters transposed into their new audience-ready arenas.

The artist produces her prints in small editions, the etching plate which has been cut bespoke to echo the shape of the maquette is 'inked up' individually before going through the press, once printed and left to dry each edition has been hand painted with watercolour making each one subtly unique.