Isn't That a Pretty Picture: Illustration Processes from 1493 to the Present

People often remark about there not being enough images in books. As most of us have come to expect beautifully illustrated pages, we take for granted how the illustrations were created and the time that went into their production.

This exhibit showcases various illustration processes that are found in Special Collections in McCain Library & Archives as illustrated in books and original prints. The images on exhibit employ various processes including woodcut, wood engraving, stipple engraving, lithography, aquatint, and etching. Highlights include pages from the Nuremberg Chronicle (1493), two illustrations that are believed to be original Albrect Durer and Rembrandt works, Thomas Bewick wood engravings, and many original illustrations from children's book artists such as Kate Greenaway, Edmund Evans, H.A. Rey, and Merritt Mauzey.

The exhibit will be available February 14 - May 31 from 8:00-5:00 Monday through Friday on the 3rd floor of McCain Library & Archives. For additional information, contact Jennifer Brannock at or 601.266.4347.

Image: Lithograph by H. A. Rey from Dem Andenken Christian Morgensterns (1923)