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RODNEY SHIRLEY - Courtiers and Cannibals, Angels and Amazons. The art of the decorative cartographic title-page

This book aims to preserve and bring forward for wider appreciation the outstanding works of art that many engraved title pages 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 title page or frontispiece; sometimes both. In this book a limited selection has been made from the extremely wide field of known title pages, 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 approx. 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 title pages 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. 

ISBN 978 90 6194 060 9
Hard cover. Richly illustrated with many of the title pages presented full page and full colour. 

Introduction price: € 59,50

This book will be presented at the 42nd California International Antiquarian Book Fair in San Francisco (February 13-15, 2009) and will also be available at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (March 17-22).