By Charlotte Lobring ‘27
Deep in Special Collections, hundreds of books reveal their beauty with a simple touch. This collection of fore-edge paintings is the largest of its kind in the United States, containing 712 books whose artwork is painted not on the page, but on the edges of the pages themselves. When the book is closed, many of these tiny watercolor landscapes and portraits vanish beneath gold leaf. When the pages are fanned open, the images suddenly appear.
Most of the volumes came from the namesake of the collection Ralph H. Wark, whose gift turned Special Collections into a treasure trove for this unique and rare art form. Many volumes date from the 18th and 19th centuries and feature elegant bindings that conceal far more than they reveal.
When asked which fore-edge book stands out to him, Jay Gaidmore, director of Special Collections, hesitated, “It’s like picking a favorite kid,” he said. Still, he admitted he loves “to pull one with a gilded edge.” Because these paintings are invisible until staff handles the pages just right, “they’re difficult to display like other books,” and Special Collections staff hope to eventually add the entire collection to a digital catalog, making these hidden artworks easier for the public to see.
Even Hollywood has brushed against the collection. Years ago, when alumna Glenn Close ‘74 visited campus and met with film students, the library staff staged her background with the fore-edge books, letting their hidden artistry surround her as she spoke. The collection is a quiet marvel, and sometimes the most beautiful details live along the margins.
Find the Ralph H. Wark Collection of Fore-Edge Paintings in the library catalog.