Book Description

For many book collectors, the Victorian period has always held a special fascination. These books were frequently illustrated by artists of immense talent, cased in exquisite bindings, and printed directly from wood blocks engraved by master craftsmen. One of this century's greatest collection of such books, formed by Robin de Beaumont, was recently donated to the British Museum. Victorian Illustrated Books is one of the few volumes devoted exclusively to this fascinating period. Containing a checklist of all 366 books and one hundred illustrations, drawings, and preliminary sketches, it presents a fully illustrated commentary on a collection of books that is outstanding for both its condition and the range of materials it holds. Here are children's books, secular and religious texts, novels, and gift books. The list of artists whose work is represented reads like a "Who's Who" of Victorian art: Edward Burne-Jones, Frederic Leighton, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Everett Millais, and Arthur Boyd Houghton, as well as some of the finer later artists, such as Whistler, Sandys, and Shields. In addition, eight splendid bindings have been reproduced in full color. As the book demonstrates, the de Beaumont is arguably the most distinguished collection of such books ever assembled. And in this comprehensive and beautifully designed catalogue, collectors and institutions will finally have a reference work that is equal to the indisputable quality of the materials it so authoritatively discusses.