I had never heard of "fore-edge paintings" until one night at the bookstore where I work, Dan, the owner, showed me an antique book he had just purchased, and by sliding the page ends on an angle there was a seemingly hidden painting actually painted on the page ends. He said he collected books with fore-edge paintings, but that they were hard to come by. Ever since then I've been interested in the topic and have recently come across some good sites with all kinds of interesting images of fore-edge paintings and their history.
Apparently, fore-edge painting is as old as the 10th century and usually come in two types. One type is painted right on the page ends and can be seen when the book is in its normal state. The other (the one Dan showed me) is a hidden painting that can only be revealed when the pages are slightly fanned out. Also, you can have a double fore-edged painting that is revealed when you fan the pages one way and then another. And finally there is a triple fore-edge painting that comes when the page ends arent gilded or marbled. Here is an example of a simple fore-edge painting on an antiquarian book:
Initially, these paintings were simple floral patterns or manor seals. Somewhere in the 18th century the paintings became landscapes; a tradition which continues to the present day. Several museums have had shows which featured fore-edge paintings. I'd love to go to one. I think it would be fascinating to see several examples from different centuries all gathered in one place.
Wouldn't it be great if we could do this with regular trade editions? Why doesn't Steve Erickson or James Carrol work out something with their publisher to do a hidden fore-edge painting on one of their new books? Something that is a clue in the plot, or a symbol for the theme of the novel? Too bad that this wonderful technique is confined to mostly antiquarian books and collectors. I truly believe that if I hadn't become an actor, I would be creating fore-edge paintings and fancy bindings for books. I think they are wonderful, beautiful works of art.
7 comments → The Hidden Beauty of Fore-Edge Paintings
Oh wow! I've never seen anything like this. Wonder if my local store has something like this in their first edition section.
thanks for your post, Sheila, but I doubt your local store will have one of these - they are much too rare. You'll probably have to go to a high-end bookstore or to the rare book room at your local library. I urge you to find one though, they are so beautiful!
That is neat
Ah, thanks, Allen. It is indeed "neat" and then some. I'd sure like to own one, but they are usually mucho expensivo!
If you would like to see a range of, and to know more about Fore Edge Paintings, Martin Frost (a British FEP painter for well over 30 years) will be giving more lectures and workshops in the States in early 2007. Contact him at: www.foredgefrost.co.uk
This is truly an astounding art form! Great blog post! I only became acquainted with it very recently when a very nice lady in western Ireland wrote to me and told me that she used to work in antique book-selling and that my paintings reminded her of fore-edge painting. I'd never heard of it before and so have been researching. I'm completely bowled over by this exquisite art and would dearly love to learn how to do this myself. Absolutely stunning!
Thanks a bunch, Julie. We actually had a woman in our bookstore who teaches fore-edge painting at workshops around the US. Wish I could have taken her class. It is an old and very unique art form. Appreciate your comment. I'll be updating the blog soon BTW
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