The Moxon Tennyson

A new perspective on a book that transformed Victorian illustration into a stand-alone art. Edward Moxons 1857 edition of Alfred, Lord Tennysons Poems dramatically redefined the relationship between images and words in print. Cookes study, the first book to address the subject in over 120 years, presents a sweeping analysis of the illustrators and the complex and challenging ways in which they interpreted Tennysons poetry. This book considers the volumes historical context, examining in detail the roles of publisher, engravers, and binding designer, as well as the material difficulties of printing its fine illustrations, which recreate the effects of painting. Arranged thematically and reproducing all the original images, the chapters present a detailed reappraisal of the original volume and the distinctive culture that produced it.