Illustrated Title Pages 1500-1900 April 21, 2011

Title pages invite the reader or viewer to explore the contents of a particular book or print portfolio. This exhibition of 80 illustrated title pages from the Center's collection traces the development of their complex layouts, changing printmaking techniques and designs, and typographic variations. From the 16th century onward, title pages evolved from woodcut to engraving and were often decorated with borders enclosing the text and increasingly complex compositions. By the 19th century, lithography, wood engraving, and photography techniques made books and print portfolios more affordable for a larger audience. Artists included in the exhibition are Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Canaletto, Francisco Goya, William Morris, Odilon Redon, and Aubrey Beardsley.