Modern Illustration 1895 First Edition Joseph Pennell Illustrated
 
Title & Bibliographic Details
Title: Modern Illustration
Author: Joseph Pennell
Editor: Gleeson White, editor of the Ex-Libris Series
Publisher: George Bell & Sons, York Street, Covent Garden, London & New York
Printer: Chiswick Press, Charles Whittingham & Co., Tooks Court, Chancery Lane, London
Date: 1895
Edition: First Edition
Format: Octavo
Pagination: xxvi + 146 pages, with numerous illustrations throughout
Frontispiece: By F. Walker, with original tissue guard
Special features: Illustrated title page, numerous illustrations, top edge gilt and original errata slip facing the Index of Illustrations.
 
Historical & Artistic Context
First published in 1895, Modern Illustration is an important late-Victorian study of the development, methods and aesthetics of book illustration. Joseph Pennell examines contemporary illustration alongside its historical development, considering British, French, German, Spanish, American and other traditions.
The volume is particularly interesting for its extensive range of illustrated examples, bringing together artists including Thomas Bewick, John Constable, Sir Edward Burne-Jones, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Randolph Caldecott, Walter Crane, Kate Greenaway, Gustave Doré, James McNeill Whistler and George du Maurier.
Pennell's preface, dated London, 30 September 1895, acknowledges the assistance of Gleeson White, who selected and obtained many of the illustrations. The volume therefore provides an illuminating contemporary view of illustration at a period when new reproductive processes were changing the relationship between original artwork, printing and the illustrated book.
The book forms part of the Ex-Libris Series, edited by Gleeson White, an important figure in late-Victorian graphic design and book culture.
 
About the Author
Joseph Pennell (1857–1926) was an American-born artist, illustrator, printmaker and writer who became an influential authority on drawing, etching and illustration. His extensive work on the techniques and history of illustration makes this volume particularly desirable to collectors of illustrated books, graphic art and late-Victorian book design.
 
About the Illustrations
The book contains numerous examples reproducing the work of prominent nineteenth-century artists and illustrators. The frontispiece is credited to F. Walker and is protected by its original tissue guard. The volume also contains an illustrated title page and numerous full-page and in-text illustrations.
The range of artists represented is a major attraction, with examples extending from earlier masters such as Goya, Bewick and Constable to contemporary figures including Whistler, Burne-Jones, Rossetti, Crane and Greenaway.
 
Binding & Exterior
Bound in green cloth over the boards and spine, with gilt lettering to the upper board and spine and a small gilt decoration to the spine.
The binding remains intact, sound and robust. There is light discolouration to the spine together with minor age-related wear, including very soft bumping to the corners and a few small marks. Overall, the cloth remains attractive and presents well for its age.
 
Interior Condition
The pages are roughly cut, consistent with the manner in which many books of this period were issued with uncut edges and subsequently opened by their owners. This is a characteristic feature of the period rather than a defect in the printing, and it does not affect the text or illustrations.
The pages remain bright and only very lightly toned, with occasional very light foxing or small marks. They are predominantly uncreased and generally neat and clean. There are only very occasional, very small edge tears, which are minimal and do not affect the text or illustrations.
The top edge is gilt. The original errata slip is present facing the Index of Illustrations.
All pages and illustrations have been checked and are present. There is one light crack in the gutter between the plates after page 100, but the binding remains secure.
A tiny pencil mark is present at the beginning of the Index of Illustrations. No other ownership inscriptions are present.
 
Physical Details
Pagination: xxvi + 146 pages, with numerous illustrations throughout
Dimensions: Approximately 19.2 × 14.3 × 4 cm
Weight: Approximately 882 grams
 
Completeness
Complete as checked, including the frontispiece and its original tissue guard, illustrated title page, numerous illustrations and original errata slip.
 
Collector Summary
An attractive first edition of Joseph Pennell's Modern Illustration, printed by the celebrated Chiswick Press and edited by Gleeson White as part of the Ex-Libris Series. Its extensive illustrations of British, European and American artists make it a particularly appealing volume for collectors of illustration, graphic art, book design and late-Victorian printing.