The Poems of William Wordsworth. [Fore-edge Painting].

WORDSWORTH, William.

Item Number: 114506

London: Edward Moxon, 1849.

Finely bound example of Wordsworth’s collected poems with a fore-edge painting of William and Dorothy Wordsworth. Octavo, bound in full morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, elaborate gilt ruling to front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, all edges gilt with a fore-edge painting of William and Dorothy Wordsworth. In very good condition. Embossed library stamp.

The first known example of a disappearing fore-edge painting (where the painting is not visible when the book is closed) dates back to 1649. Around 1750, the subject matter of fore-edge paintings changed from simply decorative or heraldic designs to landscapes, portraits and religious scenes, usually painted in full color. The technique was popularized in the 18th century by John Brindley (1732-1756), publisher and bookbinder to the Prince of Wales and Edwards of Halifax, a distinguished family of bookbinders and booksellers. The majority of extant examples of fore-edge paintings date to the late 19th and early 20th century on reproductions of books originally published in the early 19th century, including the present volume.