Art and Illustration
Art and Illustration |
|
This part of the exhibit presents several examples of the growth and development in the science of image reproduction, which evolved in tandem with new print technologies. The new arts of printing and engraving, which might seem at first glance to encourage a movement from image to word, actually increased the opportunities for image makers and helped launch art down the path it followed for the next 400 years. For example, the development of etching, just 40 to 60 years after Gutenberg's press, inspired a number of Renaissance artists, including Albrecht Durer (1471-1528), whose creative life coincided exactly with the early introduction of this technique.
In certain fields of learning such as architecture, geometry, or geography, and in many of the life sciences, the spread of texts in print actually increased the functions performed by images while reducing the importance of basic text. The classic scientific texts of Ptolemy, Vitruvius, and Galen lost their supporting illustrations in the process of being hand copied during the Middle Ages. Important supporting images were only restored when these works were first printed.
Starting in the nineteenth century, the greatly enhanced technologies of image reproduction brought into circulation thousands of books designed to show art, architecture, and illustration. For the first time in history, it was possible for those unable to travel to art centers to see excellent reproductions of almost any style of art or architecture and often in color. This in turn fostered the spread of art education, and led to a proliferation of styles and production that continues to this day. The Internet may be the next step in this process as thousands of museums and libraries begin the process of making paintings, photographs, and illustrations available through their computer-based webpages.
The Visconti Hours is the second part of an exceptionally rich Book of Hours, illuminated by Giovannino dei Grassi and Belbello da Pavia. It was completed sometime around 1412, just a little more than 40 years before the introduction of printing. Giangaleazzo Visconti, the noble who commissioned this book, was one of the most powerful Italian princes of his day. His family ruled Milan for more than a century, and Giangaleazzo married no less a person than Isabelle, daughter of King John of France. Like other Italian Renaissance rulers, Giangaleazzo patronized learning and the arts. He took an interest in the University of Pavia, helping to build the library there. He was also a patron of the Lombard workshops that produced some of the most beautiful and unique illuminated manuscripts of the age.
This stunning and historically important work, which in its original state is fragile and must be protected from light, can be seen and studied by thousands anywhere in the world. In fact, because of the special conditions and handling necessary to view the original, it may actually be preferable for scholars to use facsimiles such as this one.
Note: Due to copyright restrictions, we are unable to publish reproductions from this work.
This book is an excellent example of the ability of modern reproductive technologies to capture a range of subtle colors, which is so important in work such as that seen here. The Japanese screen utilizes extremely delicate color gradations, which are exceptionally difficult to reproduce correctly. Only recently has the technological ability to do so existed. Note also how realistically rendered are the brush strokes and the way the paint has been applied to the screen.
Note: Due to copyright restrictions, we are unable to publish reproductions from this work.
Born in Paris in 1908, Cartier-Bresson studied painting and literature before taking up photography. He realized the potential of the medium after a trip to Africa in 1930. His first pictures were published in 1933, and in the late 1930s, he worked as an assistant to the film director Jean Renoir. His images, printed only in black-and-white, concentrated exclusively on capturing the special qualities of modern-day life. And the book in this exhibit contains much of his best work.
Note: Due to copyright restrictions, we are unable to publish reproductions from this work.
Images: Lithographed illustration of the Wilson Sewing Machine, exhibited at the 1876 Fair. Click on thumbnail for full-page images.
The Visconti Hours: A Reproduction of the Original in the National Library, Florence Published by George Braziller Inc. New York 1972
The art book of the present day is truly a wonder of modern reproductive technology. Contemporary techniques have become so advanced that art works can be vividly reproduced, at times with such clarity and veracity that it becomes difficult to tell the difference between the original and the copy. This facsimile, produced by one of the most advanced art-book publishers active today, is certainly an example.
The Art of the Japanese Screen By Elise Grilli Published by Walker/Weatherhill
New York 1970
The Decisive Moment: Photography by Henri Cartier-Bresson Published by Simon and Schuster in collaboration with Editions Verve of Paris New York 1952
This book, collecting the works of Henri Cartier-Bresson, features gorgeous gravure photographs in full-page size. Introduced in 1952, The Decisive Moment is known today as a landmark book in the history of photographic publishing.
Treasures of Art, Industry and Manufacture Represented in the American Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia Edited by C.B. Norton Cosack & Co. Buffalo, N.Y. 1876
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the country, the United States organized a massive World's Fair in Philadelphia in 1876. This book was designed as a record of the treasures brought for view to the fair. For us, it is a good example of nineteenth-century lithography. The technology of image reproduction in books made incredible strides in this century. In 1838 Charles Knight patented a method of color printing in which four relief blocks of wood or metal rotated and impressed in turn onto a sheet of paper. Just a year later Dr. Alfred Donne, the Head of the Chariteé Clinic in Paris, was the first to announce success with etching daguerreotype plates. Then in 1841 Georg Meisenbach invented the half-tone reproduction process. All these developments greatly improved the ability of publishishers to render highly realistic images in their books. In this work, the Chromo-Lithography method is used to striking effect.
Illustration of the Corliss Engine, which provided the power for the 1876 Philadelphia Exhibition. The cover of this book is shown at the top of the page.
