THE OG BOOKSTAGRAM? THE CURIOUS HISTORY OF FORE-EDGE PAINTING

Nowadays, the online reading community isn't just about reading. Bookshelves have become personal galleries, filled with stunning special editions, intricate sprayed edges, and themed collectibles, from Funko Pops to art prints. 

But long before TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube bookshelf tours became a thing, there was another way to turn books into breathtaking works of art that flaunted bookshelves: fore-edge paintings.

In this post, we'll dive into the fascinating world of this medieval craft: how it started (spoiler: visible paintings came first!), how the vanishing variety became a craze, and where the art form stands today. 

1. WHAT IS FORE-EDGE PAINTING? 

Simply put, fore-edge painting is the art of painting on the fore-edge, that is, the paper side of the book opposite the spine. Books can also feature illustrations on head-edge (top) and tail-edge (bottom). 

The illustrations can range from sweeping landscapes and portraits of characters to quotes, and they can be hidden (only visible when the pages are fanned) or visible at all times.

An edition of Herbert Evans' Highways and Byways (1918) - C.B.Currie

One of the biggest misconceptions floating around online is that fore-edge painting refers only to the hidden, vanishing variety. However, the visible version actually came first, making it the perfect place to begin our journey. 

2. HOW IT ALL STARTED: THE HISTORY OF VISIBLE FORE-EDGE PAINTING 

The earliest known fore-edge paintings date back to the 10th century, often featuring ornamental or heraldic designs that were visible when the book was closed. Many of these appeared on religious manuscripts, including Bibles and liturgical texts, produced in monastic scriptoria, where books were sacred objects as well as vessels of preserved knowledge.

It is important to note that, before the early 18th century, it was actually common to shelve books fore-edge out. Readers would write the title or shelf-mark directly onto the exposed edge for easy identification.

As bookbinding evolved and titles began appearing on the spines, the fore-edge took on a more decorative and personal role. It became a space for ownership marks, such as names, family mottoes, coats of arms, and monograms, laying the groundwork for the painted fore-edges we recognize today. 

Books were luxuries, and making ownership clear was just as important as making them beautiful.

Wealthier readers took it a step further, commissioning artists to create detailed illustrations that would make their bookshelves truly pop. This is when the purpose of fore-edge markings shifted from identification to beautification.

One such example is the collection belonging to Pilone family, who would have been all the rage on Bookstagram had it been around at that time.

They commissioned an artist, cousin of the famous painter Titian, to embellish their collection of Cicero, Thomas Aquinas, Erasmus, among others and the illustrations shown are depicting the authors of those books. 

But what about invisible fore-edge paintings?

The hidden form didn’t gain widespread popularity until 18th century. Earlier examples do exist, but they appeared only sporadically, more as rare curiosities than established practice. 

And if the stories are true, this peculiar art form has an even more peculiar origin.

3. THE BEGINNINGS OF INVISIBLE FORE-EDGE ART 

Another interesting parallel that we can draw between what seems like ancient history and modern day, is the relationship between bookbinders and book painters. 

Today, many book lovers have taken up bookbinding as a hobby/profession, giving their favourite reads a fresh new look. Some specialize in rebinding, others in painting, and a few do both, just like the artisans who pioneered invisible fore-edge painting centuries ago.

Let's travel back to 17th-century England, where Samuel Mearne, a celebrated bookbinder of the Restoration period, introduced an unexpected twist to the craft.

Example of a book press used for invisible fore-edge painting

To achieve the invisible effect, instead of painting directly onto the stacked pages of fore-edge, the book block is angled and clamped while the watercolour painting is delicately applied.

After the painting dries, the clamp is released, and the marbling or gilt is applied to the closed book. This process hides the painting when the book is closed, but it's revealed when the pages are fanned open.

You might wonder what would even prompt someone to come up with such a thing?

Well, here's an interesting anecdote of how the idea for hidden fore-edge painting was born that will sound very relatable to many modern day readers.

Apparently, it all started with a bookish pet peeve. 

Legend has it that a friend of King Charles II of England had a habit of borrowing his books and then claiming them as her own. In response, our bookbinder and the King hatched a clever plan to hide the royal coat-of-arms on one of the books before lending it to the friend. When she denied that the book belonged to Charles, he simply fanned the pages, revealing the hidden symbol to prove his ownership. 

King Charles II

And just like that, the ''disappearing fore-edge painting'' was born. For a while, it remained a rare curiosity, but by the late 18th century, it exploded in popularity.

4. INVISIBLE FORE-EDGE: 18TH CENTURY PUBLISHING HIT 

Now, we arrive in 18th-century Victorian England, where the art form most people associate with fore-edge painting took central stage. We owe much of this boom to Edwards of Halifax, a prestigious Yorkshire family of bookbinders and booksellers.

The Edwards firm was all about innovation, and one of their greatest contributions was perfecting the technique of hiding paintings beneath gilt fore-edges.

By the late 18th century, demand was skyrocketing. No longer limited to custom commissions, fore-edge paintings became a sought-after feature.

As the art form grew, so did its complexity. By the early 20th century, new variations of invisible fore-edge painting emerged, including:

  • Two-Way Double: A technique where a book contains two hidden paintings. One is revealed when the pages are fanned in one direction, another when fanned in the opposite direction. This method adds an extra layer of surprise and intricacy.

          This variant is best observed in a video: Martin Frost Two Way Double

  • Split Double: Similar to the two-way method, but the artwork is split down the middle, revealing two separate images depending on the direction of the fan.
  • All Edges: The book is twisted to reveal the top and bottom page edges in addition to fore-edge.

 

  • Panoramic Fore-Edge Painting: A continuous scene that wraps around more than one edge of the book, creating an uninterrupted landscape.

                                             

5. FORE-EDGE PAINTING TODAY

Nowadays, fore-edge painting is on the list of critically endangered crafts. This is due to a number of factors, such as: 

  • Industrialization and Mass Production of Books

The time-intensive process of fore-edge painting became impractical for large-scale publishing.

    • Shifting Artistic and Literary Trends

    By the 20th century, artistic movements favoured modern and abstract styles over the highly detailed, hidden imagery of fore-edge paintings.

    In addition, readers and collectors became more interested in dust jackets, illustrated covers and signed editions, reducing the need for hidden book decorations.

      However, in spite of these factors, fore-edge painting found a revival on social media in 2020. 

      A number of artists took it upon themselves to paint the scenes from beloved movies like Harry Potter, Lord of The Rings, Dune, giving this medieval craft not only a new way of reaching audiences, but a more modern visage as well. 

      Major publishing houses have also embraced decorative edges, with sprayed and stenciled designs becoming standard in special editions.

      Some, like the Twilight Deluxe Edition 2025 release with its two-way double fore-edge effect, are even reviving the concept of hidden imagery, adapting centuries-old ideas for contemporary book production.

      Beyond being a conversation starter on a bookshelf, this shift may reflect a quiet longing for something simpler and more intentional, a return to patience, craftsmanship, and objects made to last.

      For a fore-edge artist, there are few things more meaningful than hearing that a painted book has become a family heirloom, something to be cherished and passed down through generations.

      And perhaps that is where this old craft truly belongs, in the quiet spaces of everyday life, carrying stories forward.