British Wood-Engraved Book Illustration1904-1940

Twentieth-century British wood-engraved illustration, up to the beginning of World War II, saw some of the most inventive artists of the period - such as Eric Gill, David Jones, Eric Ravilious and Joh Nash - contributing their work to the book form. Wood-engravers made a significant impact on the appearance of the printed page, transforming good books into works of art and influencing modern standards of book production. Joanna Selborne's study examines the work of these pioneering artists, tracing the historical background to this period and looking at the way in which these artists broke with 19th-century illustrative practices. Selborne goes on to survey the subject in the context of mainstream developments in the visual arts, looking in particular at the relationships between illustrators and both private presses and commercial printers. This volume includes much previously unpublished material, including publishers' and print societies' archives and artists' correspondence and sheds light on the work and practices of the more innovative wood-engravers.