Of the Decorative Illustration of Books Old and New: 3rd ed.Crane, Walter
History
Of the Decorative Illustration of Books Old and New: 3rd ed.
Crane, Walter
Book ornamentation -- History; Illumination of books and manuscripts; Illustrated books -- Bibliography; Illustration of books
Some of the designs made for a later work (Dalziel's Bible Gallery, about
1865-70) also show the effect of the pre-Raphaelite influence, as well
as, in the case of the designs of Sir Frederic Leighton and Mr. Poynter,
the influence of Continental ideas and training. I saw some of these
drawings on the wood at the time, I remember. For study and research, and
richness of resource in archæological detail, as well as firmness of
drawing, I thought Mr. Poynter's designs were perhaps the most
remarkable. A strikingly realized picture, and a bright and successful
wood-engraving, is Ford Madox Brown's design of "Elijah and the Widow's
Son." There is a dramatic intensity of expression about his other one
also, "The Death of Eglon." Still, at best, we find that these are but
carefully studied pictures rendered on the wood. The pre-Raphaelite
designs show the most decorative sense, but they are now issued quite
distinct from the page, whatever was the original intention, and while
they may, as to scale and treatment, be justly considered as book
illustrations, and as examples of our more important efforts in that
direction at that time, they are not page decorations.
One may speak here of an admirable artist we have lost, Mr. Albert Moore,
who so distinguished himself for his refined decorative sense in
painting, and the outline group of figures given here shows that he felt
the conditions of the book page and the press also.
[Illustration: ALBERT MOORE.
FROM MILTON'S ODE ON CHRIST'S NATIVITY. (NISBET, 1867.)]
[Sidenote: HENRY HOLIDAY.]
Mr. Henry Holiday is also a decorative artist of great refinement and
facility. He has not done very much in book illustration, but his
illustrations to Lewis Carroll's "Hunting of the Snark" were admirable.
His decorative feeling in black and white, however, is marked, as may be
seen in the title to "Aglaia."
[Illustration: HENRY HOLIDAY.
COVER FOR A MAGAZINE.]
[Sidenote: TOY BOOKS.]
As, until recently, I suppose I was scarcely known out of the nursery, it
is meet that I should offer some remarks upon children's books. Here,
undoubtedly, there has been a remarkable development and great activity
of late years. We all remember the little cuts that adorned the books of
our childhood. The ineffaceable quality of these early pictorial and
literary impressions afford the strongest plea for good art in the
nursery and the schoolroom. Every child, one might say every human being,
takes in more through his eyes than his ears, and I think much more
advantage might be taken of this fact.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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