description Peter Blake - Babe Rainbow (1968) Overview
Babe Rainbow is a 1968 screenprint on tin by English pop artist Sir Peter Blake, best known for co-creating the cover art for The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The artwork depicts a female fairground wrestler wearing a vibrant costume. Produced by Editions Alecto in an edition of 5,000, it was made intentionally affordable to democratize art ownership.
This large distribution made it one of the most widely circulated and recognizable British Pop Art prints.
help Peter Blake - Babe Rainbow (1968) FAQ
Who is the subject of Peter Blake's Babe Rainbow?
Babe Rainbow (1968) is a screenprint by British Pop artist Peter Blake that depicts a masked fairground wrestler. Blake was fascinated by the theatricality of professional wrestling and circus performers, heavily drawing inspiration from the vibrant aesthetics of Lucha Libre wrestling masks.
What unique materials were used to produce Peter Blake's Babe Rainbow?
Unlike traditional fine art prints on paper, Peter Blake printed the Babe Rainbow image directly onto a sheet of tin. This choice of material was a deliberate nod to cheap, mass-produced fairground souvenirs and vintage advertising signs.
How many copies of Babe Rainbow were produced?
Peter Blake produced Babe Rainbow in a massive edition of 5,000 copies, making it one of the widest-distributed Pop Art prints of the era. It was sold at a very low price point, reflecting Blake's democratic goal of making art accessible to the general public.
Was Babe Rainbow part of a specific art movement or gallery show?
The print is a quintessential example of British Pop Art, perfectly blending Blake's love of commercial graphics, wrestling, and found objects. It was heavily associated with the 1960s counterculture and was sold by the Lisson Gallery, a major hub for conceptual and contemporary art in London.
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