Evolution and Innovation 1870-1920
The Modern Artist’s Book has its origins in France in the wake of the Franco-Prussian War. Artists like Manet rejected the mass-produced and often poorly printed books of the era in which a predominance of text was occasionally relieved by different illustrations. Instead, in volumes like Manet’s Le Fleuve (1874), the book was carefully designed to combine text and images in a sympathetic and unified whole. This revolution in book design spread throughout Europe and to America, reflecting the particular aesthetic sensibilities of each nation. The twenty-six books in this gallery display the rapid evolution of artists’ book design during the period and the innovative use of graphic techniques, typography, binding and scale.
Der Lockruf des Todes
"Der Lockruf des Todes - Appel de la Mort," plate 2, in the book Ein Moderner Todtentanz, (Berlin: J. A. Stargardt, 1894).
Das Baufällige Haus
"Das Baufällige Haus - La Maison Chancelante," plate 3, in the book Ein Moderner Todtentanz (Berlin: J. A. Stargardt, 1894).
Der Brand
"Der Brand - L'incendie," plate 4, in the book Ein Moderner Todtentanz (Berlin: J. A. Stargardt, 1894)
Die Eisenbahnbrücke
"Die Eisenbahnbrücke - Le Pont Dangereux," plate 5, in the book Ein Moderner Todtentanz (Berlin: J. A. Stargardt, 1894)
Der Zecher und der Tod
"Der Zecher und der Tod - L'ivrogne et la Mort," plate 6, in the book Ein Moderner Todtentanz (Berlin: J. A. Stargardt, 1894)
