The Art of American Book Covers: 1875-1930

by Richard Minsky

Overview

Now available in paperback, "…this is one book you don't want to miss.” – Fine Books & Collections Magazine

At the turn of the nineteenth century, book covers were revered as works of art. Publishers commissioned distinguished artists such as Maxfield Parrish and Rockwell Kent to create exquisite covers appreciated by authors and readers alike. The Art of American Book Covers is an entertaining and educational retrospective, lavishly illustrated with more than one hundred full-color plates.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780807616246
Publisher:	Braziller, George Inc.
Publication date:	08/14/2013
Pages:	136
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 9.40(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Richard Minsky's work is collected internationally by major museums and libraries. He is the founder of the Center for Book Arts in New York City (1974), which has mounted over two hundred exhibitions during the past thirty-six years and offers a hundred classes and workshops. He has taught and lectured at many universities and art schools. In 2010 Yale University, repository of The Richard Minsky Archive, presented an exhibition of a half century of his work.

Editorial Reviews

...a fascinating book for anyone with a keen interest in books and cover art. This insightful collection of cover art, spanning 55 years and straddling two different centuries, shows masterfully crafted covers that have an incredible amount of detail and in many cases are quite beautiful. ... All in all, this is the perfect coffee table book for any lover of books. You’ll be sure to get plenty of enjoyment from each and every page.

San Francisco Book Review

Minsky, founder of the Center for Book Arts and an award-winning book artist, is distinctly qualified to present this loving examination of an overlooked art form. A perceptive introductory essay makes excellent use of both small illustrations within the text and reference to larger illustrations in the main body of the book to offer perspective on the place of these works and their often anonymous creators within the context of the trends in art and design of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In one example, Minsky speculates that a striking 1881 cover by Edwin Austin Abbey might be considered as a new starting date for Art Nouveau. The excellent full-page, full-color illustrations do justice to the works of art, while the introductory text points out details of design and composition that might otherwise be overlooked by a casual examination of the images. A small, useful reference section at the end shows artists' monograms. VERDICT A beautiful, reasonably priced book that rewards multiple viewings. Graphic designers, book collectors, and art history buffs make up the obvious audience for this volume, but general readers will also delight in the striking illustrations.—Mark Woodhouse, Elmira Coll. Lib., NY

Library Journal

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