Margaret Armstrong Book Design

Home

Margaret Armstrong

Biography

Cover Design

Collections

Book Decoration

Career and Life

Bibliography

 

 

Book Decorations

 

Book decorations are illustrations that surround text and are meant to subtly portray themes in the writing as well as be aesthetically appealing. Margaret Armstrong’s designs most often feature floral motifs that border the page. The Miriam Irwin Collection of Margaret Armstrong Book Design has several books that have Armstrong’s decorations within.

Pippa Passes (1900) by Robert Browning is Armstrong’s most notable decoration work with illustrations surrounding each written passage. The designs are comprised of black illustrations printed on a pale yellow block which makes the designs stand out from the white page. Pippa Passes features nine repeating borders and twenty-nine non repeating full page borders

Pippa Passes by Robert Browning, 1900
Pippa Passes
Pippa Passes Skull Page
Pippa Passes with Sea Drawing
Pippa Passes with Winged Man Drawing
 
Songs of Childhood by Eugene Field, 1896
Songs of Childhood Title Page
Songs of Childhood
Wanted - A Chaperon by Paul Leichester Ford, 1900
Wanted - A Chaperon Title Page
Chaperon page 3
Chaperon
Candle-Lightin' Time by Paul Laurence Dunbar, 1901
Candle Lightin' Time
Candle Lightin' Butterfly
Candle Lightin' Time Songs of Summer
   
When Malindy Sings by Paul Laurence Dunbar, 1903
When Malindy Sings Title Page
 
   
The Day of the Dog by George Barr McCutcheon, 1904
Day of the Dog Grasshopper
Day of the Dog Woman Illustration
Day of the Dog Illustration
 

Exhibit written and designed by

Molly Gullett

ARB Intern 2012-2013