THE EX-LIBRIS SERIES. EDITED BY GLEESON WHITE.
THE DECORATIVE ILLUSTRATION OF BOOKS. BY WALTER CRANE.
[Illustration: G Bell and Sons]
OF THE DECORATIVE
ILLUSTRATION OF
BOOKS OLD AND NEW
BY WALTER CRANE
[Illustration]
LONDON: GEORGE BELL AND SONS
YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN, W.C.
NEW YORK: 66 FIFTH AVENUE
MDCCCXCV
PRINTED AT THE CHISWICK PRESS BY
CHARLES WHITTINGHAM & CO. TOOKS
COURT, CHANCERY LANE, LONDON, E.C.
AND FIRST PUBLISHED DECEMBER, 1896
SECOND EDITION, REVISED, FEB. 1901
THIRD EDITION, REVISED, JAN. 1905
PREFACE.
This book had its origin in the course of three (Cantor) Lectures given
before the Society of Arts in 1889; they have been amplified and added
to, and further chapters have been written, treating of the very active
period in printing and decorative book-illustration we have seen since
that time, as well as some remarks and suggestions touching the general
principles and conditions governing the design of book pages and
ornaments.
It is not nearly so complete or comprehensive as I could have wished, but
there are natural limits to the bulk of a volume in the "Ex-Libris"
series, and it has been only possible to carry on such a work in the
intervals snatched from the absorbing work of designing. Within its own
lines, however, I hope that if not exhaustive, the book may be found
fairly representative of the chief historical and contemporary types of
decorative book-illustration.
In the selection of the illustrations, I have endeavoured to draw the
line between the purely graphic aim, on the one hand, and the ornamental
aim on the other--between what I should term the art of _pictorial
statement_ and the art of _decorative treatment_; though there are many
cases in which they are combined, as, indeed, in all the most complete
book-pictures, they should be. My purpose has been to treat of
illustrations which are also book-ornaments, so that purely graphic
design, as such, unrelated to the type, and the conditions of the page,
does not come within my scope.
As book-illustration pure and simple, however, has been treated of in
this series by Mr. Joseph Pennell, whose selection is more from the
graphic than the decorative point of view, the balance may be said to be
adjusted as regards contemporary art.
I must offer my best thanks to Mr. Gleeson White, without whose most
valuable help the book might never have been finished. He has allowed me
to draw upon his remarkable collection of modern illustrated books for
examples, and I am indebted to many artists for permission to use their
illustrations, as well as to Messrs. George Allen, Bradbury, Agnew and
Co., J. M. Dent and Co., Edmund Evans, Geddes and Co., Hacon and Ricketts
(the Vale Press), John Lane, Lawrence and Bullen, Sampson Low and Co.,
Macmillan and Co., Elkin Mathews, Kegan Paul and Co., Walter Scott,
Charles Scribner's Sons, and Virtue and Co., for their courtesy in giving
me, in many cases, the use of the actual blocks.
To Mr. William Morris, who placed his beautiful collection of early
printed books at my disposal, from which to choose illustrations; to Mr.
Emery Walker for help in many ways; to Mr. John Calvert for permission to
use some of his father's illustrations; and to Mr. A. W. Pollard who has
lent me some of his early Italian examples, and has also supervised my
bibliographical particulars, I desire to make my cordial acknowledgments.
WALTER CRANE.
KENSINGTON: _July 18th, 1896_.
NOTE TO THIRD EDITION.
A reprint of this book being called for, I take the opportunity of adding
a few notes, chiefly to Chapter IV., which will be found further on with
the numbers of the pages to which they refer.
As touching the general subject of the book one may, perhaps, be allowed
to record with some satisfaction that the study of lettering,
text-writing, and illumination is now seriously taken up in our
craft-schools. The admirable teaching of Mr. Johnston of the Central
School of Arts and Crafts and the Royal College of Art in this connection
cannot be too highly spoken of. We have had, too, admirable work, in each
kind, from Mr. Reuter, Mr. Mortimer, Mr. Treglown, Mr. Alan Vigers, Mr.
Graily Hewitt, and Mr. A. E. R. Gill; and Mrs. Traguair and Miss
Kingsford are remarkable for the beauty, delicacy, and invention of their
work as illuminators among the artists who are now pursuing this
beautiful branch of art.
So that the ancient crafts of the scribe and illuminator may be said to
have again come to life, and this, taken in connection with the revival
of printing as an art, is an interesting and significant fact.
As recent contributions to the study of lettering we have Mr. Lewis F.
Day's recent book of Alphabets, and Mr. G. Woolliscroft Rhead's sheets
for school use.
I have to deplore the loss of my former helper in this book, Mr. Gleeson
White, since the work first appeared. His extensive knowledge of, and
sympathy with the modern book illustrators of the younger generation was
remarkable, and as a designer himself he showed considerable skill and
taste in book-decoration, chiefly in the way of covers. As a most
estimable and amiable character he will always be remembered by his
friends.
WALTER CRANE.
KENSINGTON: _June, 1904_.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.--OF THE EVOLUTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE AND
DECORATIVE IMPULSE FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES; AND OF THE
FIRST PERIOD OF DECORATIVELY ILLUSTRATED BOOKS IN THE
ILLUMINATED MSS. OF THE MIDDLE AGES. 1.