Treasury of Illuminated Borders in Full Color (Dover Pictorial Archive)

The intricate designs of illuminated manuscripts are among the most beautiful art ever created were often adapted and reproduced as chromolithograph borders by Victorian artists. Inspired by the delicate age-old motifs artists of the stature of Owen Jones created elaborate ornamental designs that graced the pages of books periodicals and journals with their detailed patterns. Now many of these exquisite designs and beautiful patterns are available to todays graphic artists in this modestly priced royalty-free collection. Carefully selected from rare nineteenth-century volumes and painstakingly reproduced in full glowing color the 48 plates in this magnificent sourcebook include lovely arrangements of leafy vines and tendrils florals interlacings spirals human figures animals and mythological creatures as well as realistic and abstract patterns. A number of borders reveal a Medieval and Renaissance influence others an Oriental and even modern touch.