FOGG MUSEUM EXHIBIT CONTAINS BOOKS FROM 15TH, 16TH CENTURIES

Fogg Art Museum officials have opened for inspection a loan exhibit of sixteenth century illustrated books, which will remain in the cases for several weeks to come. This new exhibit comes as a supplement to the similar show of fifteenth century books which has been going on for some time. The two shows are being held simultaneously in order to allow students to examine the transitions that occurred during these years.

The books on exhibition are nearly all from the library of Philip Hofer '21, of New York. These are supplemented by a dozen Sacre Rappresentazioni, printed in Florence, which belong to the Harvard College Library, and a few books from the Print Collection of the Fogg Museum. On the wall above the cases containing the books, cuts taken from books have been hung. Books and single cuts together give a very comprehensive idea of book-illustration in the sixteenth century.

In the fifteenth century, the cut formed an integral part of the printed page. The simple, expressive figures of the German cuts with their heavy outlines harmonize with the angular Gothic type just as the more delicate outlined figures of the Italian cuts harmonize with the Roman letter of the text. The draughtsman was himself probably the woodcutter. In the sixteenth century, the greatest artists of the time as Durer and Holbein made designs to be cut in the block, and the cutting was done by the professional woodcutter of the day. A group of German books exhibited includes Durer's Small Passion and Apocalypse, the Luther Bible, with Hans Sebald Beham's woodcuts, and books with illustrations by Baldung, Burgkmair, and Wechtlin. There are some eight books illustrated by Welditz, that very charming the human artist who introduces us to the everyday life of the people as no other artists of the period.

In Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands the fifteenth century tradition continued into the sixteenth. The cutting became more elaborate but does not show the same change from the preceding century that one sees in the German book-illustrations. Spanish title-pages are still very fine. Many are heraldic, containing the only cut in the book. One of the best of the heraldic title-pages is in 'Aurem Opus', done in Valencia, 1515.

As decoration as well as illustration, the French cuts are perhaps the best in the sixteenth century. Decorative borders frequently adorn the page and cuts and text unite to form a more complete whole than in other countries, due perhaps to the influence of Geoffrey Tory. A large number of books shown are French. Among the most interesting may be mentioned "Entree ... Henri II ... en la ville ... de Paris", Paris, 1549, containing a fine equestrian portrait by Jean Goujon; Aesop, "Les Fables", Paris, 1542, a unique first edition; Homer, Les Dix Premiers Livres de I'lliade", Paris, 1545; Ovid, La Metamorphose, Lyons, 1557 with woodcuts by "Le Petit Bernard"; and Geoffrey Tory's Aediloquium, Paris, 1530, illustrated by the author. Holbein's Old Testament and Dance of Death, although the work of a German artist, were printed on French soil. Of the Dance of Death there are on exhibition the first edition and two other editions in each of which new illustrations were added.

Copperplate engravings as well as woodcuts were used as illustrations in printed books. Several such books are shown. Pascal, "Henrici II ... Elogium" contains an engraved portrait by Delanne, and Aldus, "Vita di Cosimo de'Medici", Bologna, 1586, is illustrated with engravings by Carracci.