Wednesday 10 March 2021

Charles I's travelling library


Like a 17th century version of a Kindle. Two red leather cases, designed in the 1970s by Sangorski and Sutcliffe to look like two large books, open up to reveal 59 small volumes covering just about everything that a wealthy educated gentleman would want to read on his travels. Charles I's travelling library was acquired through a bequest. The collection of tiny books have gold-tooled bindings and some are believed to have been signed by the Prince himself. Titles include classical texts by the poet Ovid and the philosopher Cicero as well as bibles and religious books such as De Imitatione Christi by Thomas A Kempis. 

British Library


 

Monday 1 March 2021

Shelf Isolation

Shelf Isolation is one of Phil Shaw's distinctive bookshelf works, in which he arranges a series of genuine book-titles in an artfully-constructed digital bookcase, so that when you read them in order, from left to right, they spell out an unexpected narrative and a much needed message of hope.

Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery