The book is acting like a typical hard bound with a decorative spine and gilded fore edge.
All of a sudden, a lovely painting of a landscape pops out of the books edge.
But the history of fore-edge painting goes back even further.
Some of the earliest examples of fore-edge paintings date back to the 10th century.
These early paintings were simple decorations or heraldic designs made in gold and other colors.
The majority of surviving fore-edge paintings date from this period.
Photo credit:Melissa Kunz/University of Tulsa
Modern fore-edge paintings show a lot more variation than those produced earlier.
Others painted panoramic fore-edge painting that wrapped around the edges of the book.
Some extremely creative pieces needs to be fanned or twisted in a special way so that see the painting.
In many cases, the fore-edges were painted with scenes depicting a subject related to the book.
But there are many other cases where it is not.
Martin Frost has over 3,000 artworks to his name.
Photo credit: Petrina Jackson/University of Virginia
The Poetical Works and Essays by Oliver Goldsmith, published in 1820.
Photo credit: Miami University Libraries.
Scottish Poems of the Sixteenth Century published in 1801.
Photo credit: Miami University Libraries.
uvres completes de P. J. de Beranger, published in 1835.
Photo credit: Miami University Libraries.
The fortunes of Nigel by Sir Walter Scott, published in 1871.
Photo credit: Miami University Libraries.
Photo credit: Brandeis University Library
