Songs before Sunrise.

Algernon Charles Swinburne.

Songs before Sunrise.

London:

F. Ellis,

1871.

Gift of Jerome McGann.

The poet, painter, and illustrator Dante Gabriel Rossetti designed this binding for a book of poems written by his close friend, Algernon Charles Swinburne. The binding, reputed to be Rossetti’s masterpiece, incorporates three rondels depicting the stars, crescent moon, and rising sun on its upper and lower covers. The rondels echo are vaguely akin to medieval brass bosses in their positioning. At the same time, the minimal, asymmetrical design reflects Rossetti’s interest in Japanese art—an influence more broadly visible in design during this period, though usually without the same degree of restraint.

From the collection of Rare Book School