A Houseful of Books

The Folio Society Gallery at the British Library
16 October 2007 – 20th January 2008
Admission free

Since 1947 The Folio Society has produced beautifully illustrated books – large and small, classic and modern, fiction and non-fiction – for lovers of literature all over the world. This captivating exhibition, which celebrates 60 years of The Folio Society, pays special attention to the work of the artists and designers who have illuminated Folio editions over the past six decades – and in particular over the last ten years.

The exhibition is inspired by the idea of ‘A Houseful of Books’, emphasising the private pleasure of Folio Society editions, delivered directly into the homes of booklovers. Library, kitchen, bedroom and drawing room are filled with beautiful books and luminous illustrations encompassing a wide range of genres from cookery and crime to classics of all kinds.

A Houseful of Books showcases the variety of artistic techniquesthat are used to produce Folio editions, from virtuoso wood-engravings to computer graphics. Portraits of great writers, including Chaucer, Christopher Marlowe, Jane Austen and Emily Brontë, decorate the walls. A watercolour by Elisabeth Frink for a Folio Society edition of The Odyssey is shown alongside a colour etching of Captain Hook by Paula Rego for Peter Pan. Other attractions include humorous illustrations by renowned artists such as Quentin Blake and Posy Simmonds, and a wonderful example of letterpress typography in The Folio Society’s new Limited Edition Shakespeare. Visitors to the ‘houseful of books’ will also see a superb facsimile of the Holkham Bible, one of the British Library’s most endearing treasures.

Exhibition curator Sue Bradbury, Editor-in-Chief of The Folio Society, commented: “It is a real pleasure to be able to commemorate the 60th anniversary of The Folio Society in such an enjoyable way. I know these books and images so well, and love them too, yet seeing them displayed in the Aladdin’s cave that has been created at the British Library takes my breath away. I hope that visitors to the exhibition will find equal delight in this unique ‘houseful of books’.”

For more information, please contact Ruth Howlett at the British Library Press Office: 020 7412 7112 or ruth.howlett@bl.uk

For more information about The Folio Society, please contact Sue Bradbury on 020 7400 4302 or email sueb@foliosociety.com

Editors notes

A Houseful of Books is on display in The Folio Society Gallery in the British Library from 16 October 2007 – 20 January 2008. Admission is free.

The British Library is the national Library of the United Kingdom. It provides world class information services to the academic, business, research and scientific communities and offers unparalleled access to the world’s largest and most comprehensive research collection. Further information is available on the Library’s website at www.bl.uk

The Folio Society was founded in 1947 with the intention of applying the highest standards of binding, typography and illustration to commercially-produced books. Nearly sixty years on, its aim remains the same - to publish books that will stand the test of time, in handsome, imaginatively designed and beautifully made editions, at reasonable prices. www.foliosoc.co.uk

The Folio Society Gallery is designed to provide a space which is adaptable, embraces the latest technology and gives visitors an insight into the British Library’s collections in a short visit.  This project was carefully designed to complement the Library’s exhibitions in the Pearson Gallery and the permanent display of treasures in the Sir John Ritblat Gallery.