A fore-edge painting is a technique of painting on the edges of the pages of a book. The artwork can only be seen when the pages are fanned, as seen in the animation below. When the book is closed, you don’t see the image because it is hidden by the gilding (i.e., the gold leaf applied to the edges of the page).
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, fore-edge paintings first arose during the European Middle Ages but came to prominence during the mid-17th century to the late 19th century. Anne C. Bromer for the Boston Public Library writes, “Most fore-edge painters working for binding firms did not sign their work, which explains why it is difficult to pinpoint and date the hidden paintings.” Thanks to the generous gifts from Anne and David Bromer and Albert H. Wiggin, the Boston Public Libraryholds one of the finest collections of fore-edge paintings in the United States. Most of the collection has been put online for the world to enjoy and features more than 200 high-resolution images; complete with additional videos, articles and information. The University of Iowa and Colossal recently featured a few fore-edge paintings with animated gifs that can also be seen below.
1. The causes, appearances, and effects of the seasonal decay and decomposition of nature, 1837 by Robert Mudie
2. The Holy Bible Split fore-edge painting
3. Letters of Lady Rachel Russell, 1801 by J. Mawman
4. Analysis of the Game of Chess, 1790 by François-André Danican Philidor
5. Characteristics of women, moral, political, and historical, v.2 1833 by Anna Jameson Painting of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage
6. Speeches of Henry Lord Brougham, v.1 1838 by Henry Lord Brougham A view of Philadelphia showing the Delaware
7. Jeanne d’Arc Author Unknown The People Of Orleans Greet Joan Of Arc
8. The rod and the gun, 1841 by James Wilson
9. Poems by the late William Cowper, Esq., v.2 1820 by William Cowper
10. The speeches of the right honorable William Pitt, v.2 1808 by William Pitt George Washington and Benjamin Franklin
11. The causes, appearances, and effects of the seasonal decay and decomposition of nature, 1837 by Robert Mudie
12. The poetical works of Thomas Moore, 1865 by Thomas Moore View Of Enniscorthy, England
13. The lord of the isles, 1815 by Walter Scott Carrick Castle In Argyll, Scotland
14. The world before the flood, 1819 by James Montgomery
15. The rambler, v.1 1825 by Samuel Johnson Old Wych Street, London
16. The complete angler of Isaak Walton and Charles Cotton, 1835 by Izaak Walton
17. The Education of Henry Adams, 1918 by Henry Adams
18. Jerusalem delivered (Torquato Tasso), v.1 1797 by John Hoole
19. Oberon, 1798 by William Sotheby
20. The Holy Bible, 1811 St Paul’s Cathedral
