The National Library of Canada is pleased to offer this exhibition, which is a tribute to books as works of art. Elegant Editions covers many of the most visually appealing and technically interesting aspects of nineteenth-century book production. These aspects include colour printing, the introduction of casing to attach the covers to the text, the adoption of cloth as a covering material, and the application of decoration. The exhibition, consisting primarily of British volumes, pays tribute to the artists and artisans who achieved distinction despite increased mechanization in the book trade. On display are contributions by Charles Whittingham the Younger, Henry Shaw, Benjamin Fawcett, Owen Jones, Henry Noel Humphreys, Matthew Digby Wyatt, John Leighton, William Henry Rogers and Albert Henry Warren.
Admission is free.