American Book Designs, Japanese Art Among Widener and Robinson Exhibits

Exhibitions of American book designs, early Celtic literature, and Japanese art from the Primitives to Hiroshige are being shown in Widener and Robinson Hall this week it was announced last night.

From the Treasure Room in Widener comes a display of books designed by Bruce Rogers, noted American designer and formerly printing adviser to the University Press. Also in Widener is a collection of early Irish, Welsh and Scottish books and manuscripts in their native tongue, while at Robinson are 25 examples of Japanese art from the best painters of the period 1650 to 1850.

The Rogers exhibit attempts to trace the development of his art from his first decoration of a poem, that of Charles Stuart Pratt's "Daniel Gabriel Rossetti," up to the gigantic two-volume edition of the Oxford Lectern Bible which appeared in 1935. The use of different type faces characterize Rogers' fine editions and along with examples of his work, his reason for using the particular design is given. Among the varieties of type is found his own widely known Centaur.

Among the books, many given by Paul J. Sachs, '00, Syndic of the University Press, is a book of letters from T. E. Shaw, better known as Lawrence of Arabia. Others by Kipling, Richard Aldington, and Albrecht Durer, sixteenth century engraver, make up the exhibit.

In the second collection at Widener is Harvard's copy of the earliest Irish New Testament. This was published in 1602 with the help of Queen Elizabeth after fifteen years of translation from English to Gaelic and given to the College by Fred N. Robinson '91, Guerney Professor of English, at the Tercentenary celebration. Among the Irish manuscripts on display are "The Dialogue of St. Patrick and Ossian," "The Story of Eadhmonn O'Cleirridh," and "Trompa Na Bflaithios."

An early Welsh dictionary given by Thomas Hollis and a book of ancient Welsh laws, the "Black Book of Chirk" are the features of the Welsh exhibition. A case of modern Welsh books is also on display. Several Bibles translated into Gaelic especially for the Scots round out the exhibit.

Starting today and lasting for two weeks, the reproductions of Japanese prints will remain in Robinson. Made at the studies of Toyohisa Adachi in Tokyo, the paintings are being circulated by the American Federation of Arts.