Cries of London on fore-edge painting

This picture of "The Cries of London: Peas, Strawberries, Cherries," is painted on the fore-edge of the book Poems, by the late William Cowper, Esq. of the Inner-Temple. v2 London: 1820. It is in a phenominal collection of fore-edge paintings, from the Rare Books Department of the Boston Public Library, online HERE.

Fore-edge paintings are viewed by slightly fanning the page edges. When closed the edges of the page may be gold gilded. To view a video snippet of revealing the painting, see HERE, at Martin Frost's site, which also shows a Split Double Press, at right.  

For further information on the history of fore-edge painting check out the online copy of A thousand and one fore-edge paintings, with notes on the artists, bookbinders, publishers, and other men and women connected with the history of a curious art; by Carl J. Weber. Waterville, ME: Colby College Press, 1949. HERE

©2011 Patricia Bixler Reber
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