Journeys of the Imagination

Authors and artists explore the terrain of the imagination when conceiving the content and design of books. For some, the book is an end in itself, a revelation of the mind's voyages or a work of art in its own right; for others, it is a tool for bringing goods, services, and ideas to the public. For cultural historians, the journey of the imagination represented by the book is a vital sign of the artistic mind.

To attract and engage the reader's attention, artists and designers translate their ideas into two- and three-dimensional formats, often solving challenging design problems in the process. Scrolls, for instance, free artists from a defined page to present events sequentially. Perspective techniques show the relative distance and position of objects. Pop-up books create worlds in three dimensions.

Accompanying these achievements in creativity are a number of printing and illustration techniques that require a high level of craftsmanship. Stencil printing (pochoir), chromolithography, photography, woodcuts, and engravings are among the media employed to effectively display art in books.

• Book Arts
• Architecture and Design
• Trade Literature
• All items from this section
• All items in exhibition

Smithsonian Institution Libraries The Smithsonian Libraries collects examples of design and visual arts in both fine art books and mass-produced titles. Chosen for the intrinsic value of their contents and their beauty as works of art, the collections feature achievements in printing, graphics, and binding. Classic works at the Smithsonian come from the fields of architecture, the decorative arts, and design, and include early commercial trade catalogs and world's fair and exposition literature. Often the only remaining record of earlier works of art, buildings, gardens, and events, illustrated books give social and cultural historians information about a period's daily life and values. Researchers study pictorial sources in the collections to trace the origins of taste and attitudes toward decoration, clothing, food, and housewares. For an exhibit specialist, design and trade literature can provide vital details for repair and display of museum objects and the decoration of period rooms.