Art of the Book
About the exhibit
Celebrate the beauty and artistry of books from cover to cover. This exhibit showcases rare, fine press and artist-made books from Toronto Public Library's Special Collections. Discover early printed books from the 1400s, richly decorated covers, whimsical miniatures, and contemporary forms that challenge our ideas about what a book can be.
Download a large-print version of the exhibit text.
Reading List
Books you can borrow from the library, handpicked by the curator for Art of the Book.
Programs
The Changing Role of the Book in Culture
Monday, March 16, 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Toronto Reference Library, Beeton Hall
Wood engraver, book artist, author and educator George Walker explores our relationship with information and art as presented in the form of the printed book.
What We Learn from the Mistakes of Early Printed Books
Monday, April 6, 6:00 to 7:00 pm
Toronto Reference Library, Beeton Hall
Lecture by Sarah Werner, author of Studying Early Printed Books 1450-1800: a Practical Guide, presented in partnership with the University of Toronto's Book History and Print Culture program.
Simple Book Structures Workshop
Tuesday, April 14, 6:00 to 8:00 pm
Toronto Reference Library, Beeton Hall
Conducted by local book and paper conservator Rose Newlove. Materials and tools provided. Presented in partnership with the Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild.
Registration for this program is full.
Tours
Drop-in tours
All are welcome! Join a library staff member on a free guided tour on Tuesdays at 2:00 pm — meet inside TD Gallery.
Dates
- Tuesday, February 25
- Tuesday, February 18
- Tuesday, March 3
- Tuesday, March 10
- Tuesday, March 17
- Tuesday, March 24
- Tuesday, March 31
- Tuesday, April 7
- Tuesday, April 14
- Tuesday, April 21
Schedule a tour
Want to schedule a tour for a class or large group? Contact tdgallery@tpl.ca
Roses by Robert Wu, Robert Chia-Yu; illustrations by Pierre Joseph Redouté. Toronto: Little Gem Press, 2006.
Wymps: And Other Fairy Tales by Evelyn Sharp, illustrated by Mrs. Percy Dearmer. London; New York: John Lane, The Bodley Head, 1897.
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle. Czech Republic: Jan Sobota and Jarmila Sobotova, 2006.