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The kind of paintings you are about to see are called fore-edge paintings. This is a special technique that uses the edge of book pages, and can only be seen in full when the pages are pushed flat in the form of a fan, as you can see below. When the book is in its normal, closed position, you cannot see the paintings, or indeed, know they are there.
This type of special, secret book paintings were first used during the middle ages, but saw an increase in popularity during the 17th to 19th centuries. Most of these paintings were never signed, so it is hard to pinpoint the artist, but recently, the Boston Public Library scanned and put many of these paintings online for everyone to enjoy. See the incredible secret artwork, and view some of the gifs and videos to see how a simple book transforms into a painting.
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| 1. Summer, 1837 by Robert Mudie |
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| 2. The Holy Bible Split fore-edge painting |
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| 3. Letters of Lady Rachel Russell, 1801 by J. Mawman |
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| 4. Analysis of the Game of Chess, 1790 by François-André Danican Philidor |
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| 5. Characteristics of women, moral, political, and historical, v.2 1833 by Anna Jameson Painting of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage |
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| 6. Speeches of Henry Lord Brougham, v.1 1838 by Henry Lord Brougham A view of Philadelphia showing the Delaware |
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| 7. Jeanne d’Arc Author Unknown The People Of Orleans Greet Joan Of Arc |
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| 8. The rod and the gun, 1841 by James Wilson |
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| 9. Poems by the late William Cowper, Esq., v.2 1820 by William Cowper |
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| 10. The speeches of the right honorable William Pitt, v.2 1808 by William Pitt George Washington and Benjamin Franklin |
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| 11. The causes, appearances, and effects of the seasonal decay and decomposition of nature, 1837 by Robert Mudie |
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| 12. The poetical works of Thomas Moore, 1865 by Thomas Moore View Of Enniscorthy, England |
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| 13. The lord of the isles, 1815 by Walter Scott Carrick Castle In Argyll, Scotland |
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| 14. The world before the flood, 1819 by James Montgomery |
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| 15. The rambler, v.1 1825 by Samuel Johnson Old Wych Street, London |
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| 16. Jerusalem delivered (Torquato Tasso), v.1 1797 |
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| 17. The Holy Bible, 1811 St Paul’s Cathedral |
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| 18. The lay of the last minstrel, 1823 by Sir Walter Bart Scott View of Kelso, Scotland |
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| 19. Latin and Italian poems of Milton, 1808 by John Milton The Inn at Edmonton |
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| 20. Marmion, 1811 by Sir Walter Scott Lindesfarne Abbey |
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| 21. The Poetical Works of Alexander Pope, 1863 by Alexander Pope |
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| 22. Poems by William Cowper, Esq., v.1 1808 by William Cowper |
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| 23. The red true story book by Andrew Lang and H. J. Ford The Capture Of Joan Of Arc |
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| 24. Spring, 1837 by Robert Mudie |
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| 25. Poems on several occasions, 1813 by Lord Edward Thurlow A View of Dublin |
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Submitted by user: Ted P.
