Fore-edge Painting · Carlson Fable Collection

Title

Fore-edge Painting

Description

1870? Split-double fore-edge painting on a first edition English translation of La Fontaine's fables.

Here is one of the new stars in our collection! It is a beautiful, heavy (10.5 pounds) edition with slip sheets for the full-page illustrations, heavy paper, and robust binding. Weber Rare Books offered 1870 as their guess as to its date. I presume it is a first English edition. The outstanding feature of this copy lies in its four outstanding fore-edge paintings. I will quote Weber’s description: ‘With a split fore-edge painting, sometimes called a “split-double”, with the volume showing a total of four paintings made after Doré drawings found within the book, 2 being side-by-side on either the left or right-hand fanned edges. Facing one direction (left): “The Little Fish and the Fisherman” [page 238] and “The Lion in Love” [p. 157]; on the other side (facing right): “The Monkey and the Dolphin” [p. 173] and “The Rat and the Elephant” [p. 489].’ I was particularly happy to “land” this book for two reasons. A recent report to Reinert-Alumni Library seemed to suggest that the collection target higher end acquisitions unavailable elsewhere. We are also planning a new layout of collection treasures for visitors emphasizing modes of illustration. What an excellent example of a rare mode of illustration!

Weber notes that the paintings were commissioned by Harrington’s (London), ca. 1990s-2010. The handwriting on the volume, from the artist on staff for the bookshop, has penciled in 29 lines of penciling used to highlight and detail this painting added to the volume. The note begins: “Split Foredge Painting / In four panels.” Commissioned by Harrington’s toward the end of the 20th century.