Accession Code: wu0001 Title: Babe Rainbow Date completed: 1967 Medium: Print Material: Screenprint Height (mm): 660 Width (mm): 441 Depth (mm): n/a Inscription: None Location Name: Picture Store Location Description: Location Floor:

© Peter Blake. All rights reserved, DACS 2021

In the 1960s a number of artists were concerned with the production of multiples. This concern was linked to the view that art should be available to everyone.

Commissioned by Dodo Designs, Babe Rainbow was originally to have been an enamel plaque. As this proved to be impossible, the design was silkscreened onto tin, in an edition of 10,000. Selling at only £1 each it was one of the few genuine multiples available to everyone.

The design was based on a 1967 cover of the French magazine Marie Claire - the girl's facial features in Babe Rainbow are similar to those on the magazine cover, but have been adjusted by referring to other prototypes. Blake wrote:

'A fictitious lady wrestler, she is twenty three years old and has broken her nose in the ring. She was born in New Cross, London and wrestles mainly in Europe and the USA'.