Of The Decorative Illustration Of Books Old And New Part 14

[Ill.u.s.tration: ITALIAN SCHOOL. XVTH CENTURY.

KETHAM'S "FASCICULUS MEDICINae." (VENICE, DE GREGORIIS, 1493.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: ITALIAN SCHOOL. XVTH CENTURY.

POMPONIUS MELA. (VENICE, RATDOLT, 1478.)]

Even in these days, however, books have been entirely produced by hand, and, for that matter, if beauty were the sole object, we could not do better than follow the methods of the scribe, illuminator, and miniaturist of the Middle Ages. But the world clamours for many copies (at least in some cases), and the artist must make terms with the printing press if he desires to live. It would be a delightful thing if every book were different--a millennium for collectors! Perhaps, too, it might be a wholesome regulation at this stage if authors were to qualify as scribes (in the old sense) and write out their own works in beautiful letters! How it would purify literary style!

There is no doubt that great attention has been given to the formation of letters by designers in the past.

[Sidenote: THE DuRER ALPHABETS.]

Albrecht Durer, in his "Geometrica," for instance, gives an elaborate system for drawing the Roman capitals, and certainly produces by its means a fine alphabet in that type of letter, apparently copied from ancient Roman inscriptions. He does the same for the black letters also.[10]

[10] Reproduced in "Alphabets," by E. F. Strange (pp. 244-250), Ex-Libris Series. Bell.

For the Roman capitals he takes a square, and divides it into four equal parts for the A. The horizontal line across the centre gives the crossbar. The sides of the square are divided into eighths, and one eighth is measured at the top of vertical dividing line, one eighth again from each bottom corner of the square to these points, the limbs of the A, are drawn; the up stroke and cross-bar being one-sixteenth, the down stroke being one-eighth of the square in thickness. Circles of one-fourth of the square in diameter are struck at the top of the A where the limbs meet, and at lower corners, to form the outside serifs of the feet, the inside serifs being formed by circles of one-sixteenth diameter; and so the A is complete. Various sub-divisions of the square are given as guides in the formation of the other letters less symmetrical, and two or three forms are given of some, such as the O, and the R, Q, and S; but the same proportions of thick and thin strokes are adhered to, and the same method of forming the serifs.

For the black letter (lower case German) text the proportions are five squares for the short letters i, n, m, u, the s.p.a.ce between the strokes of a letter like u being one-third the thickness of the stroke, the top and bottom one being covered with one square, set diamond-wise. Eight squares for the long letters l, h, b; the tops cut off diagonally, the feet turned diamond-wise.

This is interesting as showing the care and sense of proportion which may be expended upon the formation of lettering. It also gives a definite standard. The division of eighths and fourths in the Roman capital is noteworthy, too, in connection with the eight-heads standard of proportion for the human body; and the square basis reminds one of Vitruvius, and demonstration of the inclosure of the human figure with limbs in extension by the square and the circle.

Those interested in the history of the form of lettering cannot do better than consult Mr. Strange's book on "Alphabets" in this series.

It might be possible to construct an actual theory of the geometric relation of figure design, ornamental forms, and the forms of lettering, text, or type upon them, but we are more concerned with the free artistic invention for the absence of which no geometric rules can compensate. The invention, the design, comes first in order, the rules and principles are discovered afterwards, to confirm and establish their truth--would that they did not also sometimes crystallize their vitality!

I have spoken of the treatment of headings and initials at the opening of a chapter. In deciding upon such an arrangement the designer is more or less committed to carrying it out throughout the book, and would do well to make his ornamental s.p.a.ces, and the character, treatment, and size of his initials agree in the corresponding places. This would still leave plenty of room for variety of invention in the details.

The next variety of shape in which he might indulge would be the half-page, generally an attractive proportion for a figure design, and if repeated on the opposite page or column, the effect of a continuous frieze can be given, which is very useful where a procession of figures is concerned, and the slight break made by the centre margin is not objectionable.

The same plan may be adopted when it is desired to carry a full-page design across, or meet it by a corresponding design opposite.

[Sidenote: OF HEAD AND TAIL-PIECES.]

Then we come to the s.p.a.ce at the end of the chapter. For my part, I can never resist the opportunity for a tailpiece if it is to be a fully ill.u.s.trated work, though some would let it severely alone, or be glad of the blank s.p.a.ce to rest a bit. I think this lets one down at the end of the chapter too suddenly. The blank, the silence, seems too dead; one would be glad of some lingering echo, some recurring thought suggested by the text; and here is the designer's opportunity. It is a tight place, like the person who is expected to say the exactly fit thing at the right moment. Neither too much, or too little. A quick wit and a light hand will serve the artist in good stead here.

[Sidenote: OF TAIL-PIECES.]

Page-terminations or tailpieces may of course be very various in plan, and their style correspond with or be a variant of the style of the rest of the decorations of the book. Certain types are apt to recur, but while the bases may be similar, the superstructure of fancy may vary as much as we like. There is what I should call the mouse-tail termination, formed on a gradually diminis.h.i.+ng line, starting the width of the type, and ending in a point. Printers have done it with dwindling lines of type, finis.h.i.+ng with a single word or an aldine leaf.

Then there is the plan of boldly shutting the gate, so to speak, by carrying a panel of design right across, or filling the whole of the remaining page. This is more in the nature of additional ill.u.s.tration to carry on the story, and might either be a narrow frieze-like strip, or a half, or three-quarter page design as the s.p.a.ce would suggest.

There is the inverted triangular plan, and the s.h.i.+eld or hatchment form.

The garland or the spray, sprig, leaf, or spot, or the pen flourish glorified into an arabesque.

The medallion form, or seal shape, too, often lends itself appropriately to end a chapter with, where an inclosed figure or symbol is wanted. One principle in designing isolated ornaments is useful: to arrange the subject so that its edges shall touch a graceful boundary, or inclosing shape, whether the boundary is actually defined by inclosing lines or frame-work or not. Floral, leaf, and escutcheon shapes are generally the best, but free, not rigidly geometrical. The value of a certain economy of line can hardly be too much appreciated, and the perception of the necessity of recurrence of line, and a re-echoing in the details of leading motives in line and ma.s.s. It is largely upon such small threads that decorative success and harmonious effect depend, and they are particularly closely connected with the harmonious disposition of type and ornamental ill.u.s.tration which we have been considering.

[Sidenote: THE END.]

It would be easy to fill volumes with elaborate a.n.a.lysis of existing designs from this point of view, but designs, to those who feel them, ought to speak in their own tongue for themselves more forcibly than any written explanation or commentary; and, though of making of many books there is no end, every book must have its end, even though that end to the writer, at least, may seem to leave one but at the beginning.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[Ill.u.s.tration: ARTHUR HUGHES.

FROM "GOOD WORDS FOR THE YOUNG." (STRAHAN, 1871.)]

[Sidenote: NOTES FOR NEW EDITION.]

Chap. IV. Of the Recent Development, etc., p. 189. In addition to the names of the modern printers and presses mentioned in this chapter must now be added those of several workers in the field of artistic printing who have distinguished themselves since the Kelmscott Press.

Mr. Cobden Sanderson has turned from the outside adornment of the book to the inside, and, in a.s.sociation with Mr. Emery Walker, whose technical knowledge and taste was so valuable on the Kelmscott Press, has founded "The Doves Press" at Hammersmith, and has issued books remarkable for the pure severity of their typography, founded mainly upon Jenson.

Mr. St. John Hornby also must be named, more particularly for his revival of a very beautiful Italian type founded upon the type of Sweynheim and Pannartz, the first printers in Italy. The Greek type designed by the late Robert Proctor, based on the Alcala fount used in the New Testament of the Complutensian Polyglot Bible of 1514, should be mentioned as the only modern attempt to improve the printing of Greek, with the exception of Mr. Selwyn Image's, which perhaps suffered by being cut very small to suit commercial exigences.

Mr. C. R. Ashbee, too, has established a very extensive printery, "The Ess.e.x House Press," which he has since transplanted to Chipping Camden.

He had the a.s.sistance of several of the workers from the Kelmscott Press, and has produced many excellently printed books of late years, such as the Benvenuto Cellini, and including such elaborate productions as Edward VI.'s Prayer Book, with wood-engravings and initials and ornaments as well as the type of his own design.

An interesting series of the English poets, also, with frontispieces by various artists, has been issued from this press.

P. 218. The death of Aubrey Beardsley since the notice of his work was written must be recorded, and it would seem as if the loss of this extraordinary artist marked the decadence of our modern decadents.

A perhaps equally remarkable designer, however, whose work has a certain kins.h.i.+p in some features with Beardsley's, is Mr. James Syme, whose work has not before been noticed in this book. He has a powerful and weird imagination a.s.sociated with grotesque and satirical design, and considerable skill in the use of line and black and white effect.

P. 267. In writing of book ill.u.s.trators in France, a leading place should be given to M. Boutet de Monvel, whose delicate drawing, tasteful colouring, and sense of decorative effect, combined with abundant resource in variety of costume, and skilful treatment of crowds, mediaeval battle scenes, and ceremonial groups are seen to full advantage in his recent "Ste. Jean d'Arc," although no particular relations.h.i.+p between ill.u.s.tration and type is attempted.

P. 268. A recent proof of the revival of taste in book-decoration and artistic printing in Italy may be referred to here as showing the influence of the English movement. I mean the edition of Gabriele d'Annunzio's "Francesca da Rimini" with ill.u.s.trations or rather decorations by Adolphus de Karolis, printed by the Fratelli Treves in 1902. This book shows unmistakable signs of study of recent English work, as well as of the early printers of Venice, and it is strange to think how sometimes artists of one country may come back to an appreciation of a particular period of their own historic art by the aid of foreign spectacles. Among the original designers of modern Italy may be mentioned G. M. Mataloni, who shows remarkable powers of draughtsmans.h.i.+p and invention, largely spent upon posters and ex-libris.

Italy, too, has an able critic and chronicler of the work of book-designers of all countries in Sig. Vittorio Pica of Naples, whose "Attraverso gli Albi e le Cartelle" (Ist.i.tuto Italiano d'arti grafiche editore Bergamo) is very comprehensive.

In Vienna Prof. Larisch recently published a book of Alphabets designed by various artists of Europe; Germany, France, Italy, and England being represented. The group of Viennese artists known as the "Secession" have issued "Ver Sacrum," a monthly journal, or magazine, giving original designs of various artists more or less in the direction of book-decoration. Latterly the designs offered seemed to lose themselves either in an affectation of primitiveness and almost infantine simplicity, or the wildest grotesqueness and eccentricity.

APPENDIX.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HEADPIECE BY ALAN WRIGHT.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: I. IRISH. VITH Century.

BOOK OF KELLS. [_See page 13._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: II. ENGLISH. XIVTH CENTURY.

ARUNDEL PSALTER, 1339. [_See page 16._]