WOMEN: A Pictorial Archive from Nineteenth-Century Sources

Wood engravings, popularized by Thomas Bewick in the late 18th century, revolutionized mass reproduction of artwork in the 19th century with their crisp black-and-white lines, depicting a rich array of feminine figures—allegorical women, dancers, workers, and more—drawn from rare issues of publications like Leslie's Weekly and The London Illustrated News. These illustrations reflect Victorian ideals, portraying women primarily as mothers and housewives imbued with sentimentality, and total 488 black-and-white images. Although halftone photography emerged in the 1880s, offering a crude and costly alternative, wood engraving persisted until the 1890s before being largely replaced, yet its legacy endures as contemporary artists revive and adapt these historic techniques for modern collage and artistic projects.

Jim Harter is a successful artist and editor of several Dover Pictura CD-ROM Books, including Harter's Picture Archive for Collage and Illustration, Landscapes and Cityscapes for Artists and Craftspeople, Nautical Illustrations, and more. Out of Print. Condition: Fine. Light edge wear and outer corner bumps.