Endgrain designs & repetitions: the pattern papers of John DePol

Abstract

"Beginning in the 1950s, the American master of wood engraving, John DePol (1913-2004), cut small endgrain blocks featuring subjects from Nature, the Heavens, the Book Arts, and fantastical abstract/geometrical designs. Although many of these images were made into patterns and used as binding papers in a number of important fine-press books, the full breadth of this aspect of DePol's work appeared for the first time in the 2000 limited edition of this book; this aspect of DePol's work is not included in the Book Club of California's John DePol: A Catalogue Raisonné published in 2004. The images - 117 units with a pattern formed from each - are reproduced in Endgrain Designs & Repetitions as originally conceived by DePol: in beautiful black and white. The book also includes an autobiographical sketch written by DePol, a short essay on the history of patterns in book publishing by myself, and the publication history of the patterns." -- Publisher's website