Of the Decorative Illustration of Books Old and New 3rd ed.

"Of the Decorative Illustration of Books Old and New" by Walter Crane is a scholarly examination of the evolution and artistic principles of book decoration and illustration, written in the late 19th century. This work explores the historical and contemporary types of decorative design in books, touching upon the significance of both illuminated manuscripts and printed illustrations. The text aims to illustrate the pivotal connection between art and literature while also analyzing the transformation of book design through various historic periods. The opening of the book introduces Crane's intention to articulate the relationship between design, art, and the written word, suggesting that all forms of art are intertwined with human thought and history. He reflects on how book illustrations serve as a lens through which to view the cultural and social nuances of different eras. Crane notes that while the decorative aspect may dominate some periods, the role of the illustrator is increasingly recognized over time. He underscores the importance of personal experience and historical context in understanding the evolution of book decoration, setting the stage for an in-depth exploration of this artistic domain throughout the subsequent chapters. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Walter Crane was an English artist and book illustrator. He is considered to be the most influential, and among the most prolific, children's book creators of his generation and, along with Randolph Caldecott and Kate Greenaway, one of the strongest contributors to the child's nursery motif that the genre of English children's illustrated literature would exhibit in its developmental stages in the later 19th century.