Part 5

Lingering in thought over the far-away days of the glorious bibliographic and typographical past that France has enjoyed, one finds little has happened, amidst all the changes which have swept over those arts in recent years, to disturb the employment of her bibliopegic artists. There are few of her remaining old streets through which one passes without being attracted in one way or another to the sign of the _relieur-doreur_. To give a remarkable instance of this unique position one has only to recall the sale of the collection of the Vicomte de la Croix-Laval in 1902, in which the books were not catalogued in the names of the author but in that of the bookbinder. But this is not surprising when we consider the excellent craftsmanship of such men as G. Canape, Chambolle-Duru, S. David, Charles Lanoë, Marius Michel, G. Mercier, René Kieffer, and the fascinating execution of the designs on vellum by André Mare. Yet it is not uncommon to hear the travellers’ comment that books with an attractive outside appearance are non-existent in Paris. Unlike England, France expends little additional labour on the lasting, apart from the certain attractive qualities of cloth or paper-covered board casings, while modern end-papers, as known in other countries, have so far found little consideration. Much energy is focussed on the _edition de luxe_, embodying the work of popular artists, good paper and type, the result being a limited number of paper-covered volumes, all excellently produced, but very often disappointing in their page arrangement and design and the suitability of text to type and type to illustration.

But this leads me into an explanatory discussion on the old printer’s independence of other craftsmen whose art is now divided into separate and recognised trades. And it is remarkable that it should be so to such a great extent, for fewer places other than Paris are so sympathetically enjoined to their artists. It may be the fault of the artist who is more enwrapped in his craft than the art evolved in its ultimate end.

Within the last few years, however, printing has vastly improved, and this has been due in no small measure to the efforts of MM. G. Peignot and Sons. As early as 1900 the Peignot type foundry introduced a new typography with frankly modern tendencies, the best testimony of their efforts at that time being the productions of “Grasset,” following with the “Auriol,” and later on the Bellery-Desfontaines types and ornaments. At the same time, not desiring to lose touch with that which in typography of the past is most intrinsically valuable for to-day, a little booklet issued lately, entitled “Les Cochins,” by the two brothers Peignot, clearly demonstrates the results of their attainment. This booklet, apart from being a catalogue of their research, has behind it the primary desire that editors and printers should try to realise the significance of a typographical revival in France, and the influence it would have on all branches of the graphic arts.

Despite the remarkable progress that process work has made, apart from the most ingenious inventions and machinery being of French origin, wood-engravers and wood-engraving, as employed for illustrative purposes, maintain a prominent and more unique position in France than in any other European country. Amongst the most recent productions of note “Daphnis et Chloé” (p. 190), printed and published by M. L. Pichon, is uncommonly good, in fact all that issues from M. Pichon’s little establishment is unusually refined. Then there are others, but space will not permit me to dwell on each one’s excellent qualities. However, I must not neglect to mention the remarkable edition of “Le Grand Testament de François Villon,” which I have seen in preparation by M. A. M. Peignot, with illustrations and especially designed type by Bernard Naudin; also some thoughtful little volumes in the series “Les Maîtres du Livre,” published by MM. Georges Crès et Cie under the direction of M. Ad. van Bever; and if it were not for the thoughtful, untiring efforts of such editors as M. Lucien Vogel, of the “Gazette du Bon Ton,” and publishers of _éditions d’art_ as MM. A. Blaizot, L. Carteret, H. Floury, F. Ferroud, Jules Meynial, R. Helleu, René Kieffer, E. Rey, Octave Charpentier, E. Lévy, and H. Piazza, the bibliophiles of Paris would have a poor output from which to select. From amongst others the notable and varied publications of the libraries Ollendorff, Larousse, Hachette et Cie, A. Fayard et Cie, Caiman Lévy, Plon-Nourrit et Cie, Adrian Sporck, L. Michaud, E. Flammarion and A. Vaillant should be noted. Finally I must not forget to mention the powerful influence of the “Société des Amis des Livres,” “Les Cent Bibliophiles,” the “Société Normande du Livre illustré,” and the “Société du Livre d’Art Contemporain”; and without a prolonged description of each _Société_ it must suffice to mention the prosperity the “Société des Amis des Livres” enjoys under the presidency of M. Henri Beraldi, the originator of the “Société des Bibliophiles de Paris” and a publisher of note. Amongst his first efforts “Paysages Parisiens,” by Emile Goudeau, and G. Montorgueil’s “Paris au Hasard,” both illustrated by Auguste Lepère, are the most distinguished, and to him my thanks are due for his kindly interest in my bibliographical quest, and to the President of “Les Cent Bibliophiles,” M. Eugène Rodrigues, for his generosity in placing at my disposal pages and illustrations from his admirable collection.

After all, it is to men like these, and to the organizations to which they belong, that France owes the prominent bibliographical position she holds, and the freedom her excellent artists and craftsmen enjoy in retaining for us in fitting garb the minds of the great, be they echoes of the past or turbulent cries in the dark, the songs of the open and sunlight, the sonnets of autumn and shade, or the love in the laughter of children.

AUSTRIA

THE ART OF THE BOOK IN AUSTRIA. BY A. S. LEVETUS

Like other countries Austria has, in all that relates to the book, gone through periods of high developments, followed by a time of inactivity which could but lead to eventual decay. That in the past many works of a high artistic value as regards printing, illustrations, type, and binding, in fact all the qualities which go to make an artistic production, were issued by the various presses, many books still existing go to prove. On the whole the printers of Austria were never very numerous, and she has never been a book-producing centre, even in the Capital itself, as have been many German cities, such as Nuremberg, Augsburg and Leipzig. Under the Empress Maria Theresa the art of the book flourished, for being possessed of a fine artistic nature, she granted many privileges to the makers of books, and set great value on such volumes as were real works of art. Her son, Joseph II, who during his youth, following the custom of the time, adopted a trade, chose printing, and mastered it thoroughly. He likewise granted certain privileges to the printers and in every way encouraged the art. During the second half of the eighteenth century the Art of the Book developed considerably. New types were invented, woodcut engravings gave way to copper engravings, the paper was of the best quality, the bindings of the finest leather and of beautiful design, everything, including the end-papers, reached the highest standard. But reaction was inevitable in Austria as it was in other countries, for the age of machinery had come. Hand-made paper, which had furnished a staple trade in Moravia since 1520, when the first paper-mill was founded in Gross-Ullersdorf, deteriorated; the printing-machine took the place of the hand-press; the fine hand-tooled leather bindings were forced to yield to the more commercial article.

But in Austria, as elsewhere, the Art of the Book was to be reborn, and it was William Morris who was to give the impulse, for the fame of the Kelmscott Press had reached Vienna. The men of the new school, Alfred Roller, Josef Hoffmann, Koloman Moser, Baron Myrbach, Rudolf von Larisch, and others have spread the new teaching. The moment was the right one, the need of reform in all and everything concerning book-production was recognised as part of the programme when the general question of the teaching of art was raised in 1897; but the regeneration of the Art of the Book really dated from the beginning of the present century. It must not be thought that no efforts had been made to rescue the art previous to the great reform. Far from it. Twenty-five years ago the first steps were taken by the founding of the Imperial “Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt für graphische Kunst,” an institution for teaching and experimenting in graphic art, where from the first excellent work was done under Hofrat Eder. The “Hof- und Staatsdruckerei” (Imperial and State Printing Office) had been called into existence eighty years previously. But the great impetus was given some dozen years ago when men trained in the new school of thought in decorative art were appointed teachers in the various schools and institutions.

The Art of the Book in Austria in its modern aspect is but young, but its development is most interesting. All that is best in graphic art of the past served as the ground-work on which to build the art of our time; and this artistic basis being of so fine a calibre, sound and sure, has led to very satisfactory results. First, in the teaching of ornamental writing under Professor Rudolf von Larisch. He has expounded his tenets in his “Unterricht in ornamentaler Schrift,” a work of great value to all interested in this subject. What he aims at is form, configuration and spacing, to add rhythm to the letters themselves, and to harmonise one with another in the building-up of the word; for even the simplest of words rightly rendered should be decorative. He does not consider the creating of new forms of paramount importance, but sets much store on the relation of the letter to the word, the word to the sentence. These should fit into one another in the same manner as the component parts of a perfect piece of architecture, for, as in architecture we see the foundation of all art, so in lettering the basis of all book decoration is to be sought. This theory is supported by the study of early printed works and more particularly so in those printed towards the end of the sixteenth century. Here we see the aim was to achieve harmony in type, ornament and illustration. This, too, is the aim of those who produce artistic books other than those issued by the ordinary publisher. Unfortunately there are but few of the former class in Austria. But many of the Austrian artists are engaged in illustrating books for German and other publishers. In Vienna, Artur Wolf has published some very fine works illustrated by Franz von Bayros, Ferdinand Staeger, and other artists; Konegen’s series of children’s books, illustrated by Marianne Hitschmann-Steinberger, are full of charm and understanding of child life; Gerlach and Wiedling’s books for children have been illustrated by various artists: Professor Czeschka, Karl Fahringer, F. Staeger, Franz Wacik, Fräulein Frimberger among others. That excellent work is being done may be gathered from our illustrations. Fräulein C. Hasselwander has done very good work as an illustrator of children’s stories; C. Köystrand has won renown as an illustrator of refined humour; Ferdinand Staeger is one of the best-known illustrators of the “Münchner Jugend,” and a draughtsman of great variety and vitality; Wenzel Oswald and Gustav Kalhammer are past students of the Imperial “Kunstgewerbeschule” in Vienna and are essentially decorative in their art; while Dagobert Peche hails from the Imperial Academy and his work is of a highly decorative character. Alfred Keller is an architect by profession, as is Dagobert Peche, but he is also an illustrator of books, his chief _forte_ lying in line drawing.

Some of the Austrian artists excel in the designing of book-bindings, and it is safe to say their work will achieve lasting fame. The mention of names such as Professors Josef Hoffmann, Koloman Moser and Czeschka, are sufficient to vouch for this assertion; Anton Hofer and Rudolf Geyer, both past students of the Imperial Arts and Crafts School, have also done some very beautiful work which will live. All these artists have produced bindings which in quality of design, material, and workmanship are all that could be desired.

In the designing of new types excellent results have been achieved. “Czeschka’s Antiqua,” the invention of Professor Czeschka, is extremely beautiful in its simplicity. It has been acquired by Messrs. Genzsch and Heyse, of Hamburg, and is illustrated on page 211.

Dr. Rudolf Junk’s new type is characterized by the same high qualities though it differs widely in form from that of Professor Czeschka; Herr Mader’s type is less clear, though it is interesting. For this Professor Hoffmann has made the borders and ornament. Fräulein Schmidt may also be counted amongst those who have created new and interesting types. These have all been published by the “Hof-und Staatsdruckerei.”

In the provinces Bohemia holds the first place in the Art of the Book, which is but natural considering how high a prestige Prague, Pilsen, Kuttenberg, and other of her towns enjoyed in bygone ages. In modern graphic art and book-decoration many Czech artists have distinguished themselves. The various reproductions here show that their inspirations are those of the true artist. To these must be added Zdenka Braunerová, Adolf Kašpar, and Vojtěch Preissig. That the publishers are collaborating with the artists is a good sign, and the next few years will no doubt see further developments. The fact that the modern movement in Bohemia in the Art of the Book is still in its infancy, and that, in spite of this, so much that is good has already been done, speaks well for the future.

THE ART OF THE BOOK IN HUNGARY

The development of art in Hungary reached its highest point in the fifteenth century. The influence of the Italian renaissance made itself felt in this country sooner than anywhere else, for Mathias Corvinus gathered round him at his Court a great many Italian artists and humanists, and acquired numerous finely painted books and manuscripts. The few remaining treasures of his library, called _corvinas_, are wonderful examples of renaissance book-illustrations, mostly the work of Italian miniaturists, for it would seem that Hungarian artists were not employed by the King. Political conflicts and wars put an end to the progress of art, and then came the domination of the Turks, who destroyed, or allowed to perish, the existing monuments of art.

There are many reasons to account for the long period of depression in book-production and illustrative art which followed. Up to as late as the middle of the nineteenth century the educated classes in Hungary adopted Latin for conversation, and it was also the official and legal language of the country. Students went to Italy and Germany to acquire culture. Consequently foreign influences were paramount, and only the cheapest books were produced at home. The native typography could not compete with that of other countries, the art of the book fell into decay, and Hungarian artists were only employed in work of lesser importance.

The books which have been published in Hungary during the last few years show a distinct advance when compared with those previously produced. This is in a large measure due to the training offered at the National Arts and Crafts School at Budapest, where opportunity is given for the study of typography, and characters based on the national art have been introduced and popularized. There is a special class for designing script based upon the best of the old national manuscripts which combine the most desirable qualities—legibility and artistic form. Three excellent examples of the work of the students are reproduced on pages 237 to 239.

Hungary is happy in possessing a number of really clever book decorators, though many of them have settled outside their native country, and their work has in some respects little of the purely national characteristics. A notable example of this is to be found in the drawings of the Marquis Franz von Bayros, a Hungarian by race, Croatia being his native province, whose work bears no relation to his nationality. Delicate, refined, and eminently decorative, it possesses a grace which recalls the poetic charm of the _fêtes galantes_, and is yet, in its technical dexterity and subtle comprehension of the requirements of black-and-white, modern in feeling. We reproduce some charming examples of this artist’s work.