Fore-Edge Paintings
Protagonist of Pit and the Pendulum
Painting on the fore-edge of "The Works of Edgar Allan Poe." Image of the protagonist of Pit and the Pendulum is based on illustration by Arthur Rackham. The figure appears gaunt and terrified, clad only in his "wrapper of coarse serge." Standing at…
Nude Woman Reclining on a Bed
Cropped image of an erotic painting on the fore-edge of "The women of England: their social duties, and domestic habits," by Sarah Stickney Ellis. Painting shows a nude woman reclining on a bed with another nude woman holding a mirror.
Erotic painting of a man and woman, and two horses in country scene
Erotic painting of a man and a woman watching two horses on the fore-edge of a book of poems including "The grave" by Blair; "The elegy," by Gray; " "Prison thoughts," by Dodd; "On death," by Porteus; and "The night thoughts, & c.," by E. Young.
View of Edinburgh Scotland
Painting on the fore-edge of "The poetical works of Sir Walter Scott" of a view of Edinburgh.
View of a Bridge
One side of a double painting on the fore-edge of "Six sermons on the church and her ministry" by John Stonard. When the leaves are fanned one way a view of a bridge is displayed, when fanned the other way, a view of a city is displayed.
View of a City
One side of a double painting on the fore-edge of "Six sermons on the church and her ministry" by John Stonard. When the leaves are fanned one way a view of a city is displayed, when fanned the other way, a view of a bridge is displayed.
American Indian on Horseback
Vertical painting on the fore-edge of "The poetical works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow" of an American Indian with a lance on horseback.
Portrait of Charles Dickens as a Young Man with Vignettes from Novels
One side of a double painting on the fore-edge of "Our mutual friend" by Charles Dickens. A portrait of the author as a young man with vignettes from The Pickwick Papers and Oliver Twist is displayed on one half of the pages, and a portrait of the…
Portrait of Charles Dickens as an Older Man with Vignettes from Novels
One side of a double painting on the fore-edge of "Our mutual friend" by Charles Dickens. When the leaves are fanned one way, a portrait of the author as an older man with vignettes from David Copperfield and A Christmas Carol is displayed, when…
Man with Crossbow
Painting on the fore-edge of "Portrait intime de Balzac" by Edmond Werdet of a man aiming a crossbow, another looking on, and a third restraining a hunting dog.
English Country Scene
Painting on the fore-edge of "The golden treasury of the best songs and lyrical poems in the English language" by Francis Turner Palgrave of a country scene with workers on ladders in trees, a country house, and the tower of a castle in the…
John Gilpin Riding His Horse Through Edmonton
Painting on the fore-edge of "The poetical works of William Cowper." Image is based on "The Diverting History of John Gilpin," a comic ballad by Cowper, about a man who lost control of his horse.
Lakeside Scene of a Walled Town from the Water
Painting on the fore-edge of "Les enfants de l'amour" by Eugene Sue of a lakeside scene of a walled town from the water with several boats resting on shore at low tide. Artist Retsof or Foster is unknown.
Bridge in the Town of Bedford, England
One side of a double painting on the fore-edge of "The select works of John Bunyan" by George Cheever. When the leaves are fanned one way, a view of Bedford bridge is displayed, when fanned the other way, a view of the town of Bedford, England from…
Single-Masted Ship on the River Thames with the Tower of London in the Distance
Painting on the fore-edge of vol. 2 of "Osmond: a tale" by Mary Ann Kelty of a single-masted ship on the River Thames with the Tower of London in the middle distance.
Old Burying Ground at Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Painting on the fore-edge of "Poems" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow of the old burying ground at Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts with portrait of Longfellow.
View of the Town of Bedford, England
One side of a double painting on the fore-edge of "The select works of John Bunyan" by George Cheever. When the leaves are fanned one way, a view of the town of Bedford, England from the north is displayed, when fanned the other way, a view of…
London Bridge from the River Thames
Painting on the fore-edge of vol. 1 of "Osmond: a tale" by Mary Ann Kelty of London Bridge from the River Thames with the dome of St. Paul's in the background.
Browse All Items in Fore-Edge Paintings
Title
Fore-Edge Paintings
Description
A fore-edge painting is a miniature watercolor executed on the fanned edge or edges of a book; when the book is closed the art disappears, now hidden by the edge gilding. This genre of painting dates from the 1500s, flourished in the 1800s, and is still practiced today. Anonymous and undated paintings include landscapes, scenes and characters from literature, and portraits of authors.
Date
2017-07-17
Source
Seidman Rare Book Collection
Rights
Subject
Fore-edge painting
Painting
Publisher
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Identifier
GV-02
Format
image/jpg
Type
Image
Language
eng