Decorative Illustration of Books

Originally published in 1896, this survey of book illustration is both a comprehensive guide to many facets of early work in the field & important evidence of Victorian taste & the influences which shaped it. Crane begins by describing the artist s role in producing manuscripts & early printed books up to the end of the 16th century, giving an account of Italian, French & German work. He then moves to the beginning of modern illustration -- which he dates from the work of Blake, & takes in most of the major Victorian exponents of the art, including Rossetti, Selwyn Image, Laurence Housman & Howard Pyle. Over 100 drawings.