Here is Dominic Hills’s latest print inspired by a combination of a Renaissance double-entendre and posters from the May 1968 protests in France.

The French expression comes from Bruscambille (see previous posts), in a speech of his in praise of night (see subtitles below if needed):

Pour donques vous montrer evidemment que tant s’en faut que la nuict soit pernicieuse & dommageable : mais au contraire, tres-utile & profitable, combien pensez-vous qu’il y en ait en la compagnie qui ont esté faits & forgez du marteau naturel sur l’enclume de la nature en une seule nuict ?

To show you clearly that it is hardly likely that night is pernicious and damaging but that it is instead very useful and profitable, how many do you think of the assembled company were made and forged with the natural hammer on the anvil of nature in a single night?

In addition to the anvil of nature and the natural hammer, there are, among other things, the crossbow, the croissant, the flute, the gutter, the labourer, the library, the pestle, the door, and the tambourine of nature too…