Rodney W. Shirley

This book aims to preserve and bring forward for wider appreciation the outstanding works of art that many engraved titlepages and frontispieces represent.
Over the time period covered by the present publication roughly from the 1470s to the 1870s very many printed books opened with an attractive decorative titlepage or frontispiece; sometimes both. In this book a selection has been made from the extremely wide field of known titlepages, mainly by a focus on subject matter which is primarily cartography, geography, history and topography, together with associated disciplines such as astronomy, travel and exploration.

A selection of 100 main and approximately 70 supplementary entries adequately covers specimens of different styles, formats, and national characteristics over a four-hundred year time period from the late 15th century onwards. The choice of decorative titlepages or frontispieces includes examples emanating from Italy, Germany (including Switzerland and Austria), the Netherlands (including Flanders), France, Spain, England and some later examples published in the United States.… (altro)

Cartography between 1472-1700. Presents materials showing the development of cartobibliographics from the first years of printing in the 1470s to the first year of an almost complete world map in 1700. Plates with descriptions, and Prefaces to the 1987 and 1984 Editions, Foreward by Helen Wallis, Corrigenda and Addenda, with Appendices, chronological Charts and Index.

From Foreword: "In the ANATOMY OF MELANCHOLY the Oxford philosopher and physician Robert Burton recommended the contemplation of maps as one of the best forms of recreation."… (altro)