Posted by Carey Gibbons on

Image features the opening spread of William Morris's book, The Wood Beyond the World. The pages include an illustration of a willowy maiden stepping forward in a lush meadow and elaborate ornamentation. Please scroll down to read the blog post about this object.

In this design, text rendered in the Kelmscott Press’s Troy typeface and an ornate initial letter “A” appear on the right page. A detailed wood-engraved illustration after a design by Edward Burne-Jones appears on the left. The illustration features an elongated female figure stepping forward in a lush meadow at the edge of a wood. Borders with interlacing vegetal and floral forms appear on both pages. The design is in black and white, excluding the chapter heading on the right page, which is in red.

Featured Image: Frontispiece, The Wood Beyond the World, 1894; Designed by William Morris (British, 1834–1896) and Edward Burne-Jones (British, 1833-1898); Engraved by W.H. Hooper (British, 1834–1912); Written by William Morris (British, 1834–1896); Published by Kelmscott Press (London, England); Wood engraving on paper; 20.5 × 14 cm (8 1/16 × 5 1/2 in.); Collection of Smithsonian Institution Libraries, SIL39088006357750