Biblia Hebraica. Prepared by E. van der Hooght

(BINDING).

Carol Tauchnit

Leipzig

1838

Delightful Fore-edge Painting of a gentle pastoral scene, portraying fishing alongside a pond with a windmill in the background

Darlow and Moule 5193

Hebrew Books with Painted Fore Edges are Exceptionally Uncommon. A fore-edge painting is a scene painted on the fore-edge of a book, either with the edge solid so that the resultant painting is visible with the book closed, or, in the more accepted use of the term, only visible when the edges are fanned out. When accomplished by this method, the edges are also gilded or marbled, so that the closed book shows no trace whatsoever of the painting. The art of painting landscapes on fore-edges was pioneered by the Englishman, William Edwards of Halifax sometime around 1750. Subjects portrayed often included pastoral settings or scenes based upon the content of the book decorated