The valley of vision : a book of romance, and some half-told tales

Publisher Charles Scribners and Sons American

1919

Not on view

"Signed Margaret Armstrong Art Nouveau binding design in gold, red and white of a central biconvex lens-shaped panel containing the titles, with a stem of Madonna Lilies (Lilium candidum) on either side entwined with poppy flowers (Papaver rhoeas) amid a background of what are likely shafts of light emanating from the lens. Spine with titles with lily and acorn motifs in gold. Includes frontispiece and 7 additional black and white illustrations by various artists. A selection of essays written by Van Dyke about the visions that come to us about the meaning of life while we are in the valley of suffering, endurance and self-sacrifice. Written during and after WWI, the book was published after the conclusion of the war with the experiences of the war in mind. Armstrong's design incorporates poppies, representative of the dreams mentioned in many of the stories as well as death (Flanders Fields also comes to mind), with the Madonna Lily representing purity of soul that comes following suffering. Although Armstrong's design for The Valley of Vision was issued relatively late in her career, it is surprisingly scarce - especially so intact - since the white pigment used for the lilies flaked off fairly easily." -- Austin Abbey Rare Books.

Photographs of binding from Watson Library Digital Collections https://libmma.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16028coll17/id/4927

Artwork Details

Overview

Title: The valley of vision : a book of romance, and some half-told tales
Artist: Margaret Neilson Armstrong (American, New York 1867–1944 New York)
Publisher: Charles Scribners and Sons
Author: Henry Van Dyke (American, Germantown, Pennsylvania 1852–1933 Princeton, New Jersey)
Date: 1919
Dimensions: viii, 306 pages, 8 unnumbered leaves of plates : illustrations (some color) ; Height: 7 7/8 in. (20 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Friends of the Thomas J. Watson Library
Object Number: Publishers Bindings 946

More Artwork

By Margaret Neilson Armstrong

By Henry Van Dyke

From the same time and place

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Album of American Wildflower Watercolors, Margaret Neilson Armstrong American, Watercolor over graphite with brown ink — Album of American Wildflower Watercolors
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How to Know the Ferns: A Guide to the Names, Haunts, and Habits of our Common Ferns, Margaret Neilson Armstrong American, Illustrations: collotype — How to Know the Ferns: A Guide to the Names, Haunts, and Habits of our Common Ferns
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1902 [first published 1899]

Threads of Grey & Gold, Margaret Neilson Armstrong American, illustrations: photomechanical reproductions of paintings — Threads of Grey & Gold
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1913

Flowers of the Dusk, Margaret Neilson Armstrong American, illustration: photomechanical reproductions of a painting — Flowers of the Dusk
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1908 [first published 1907]

Weaver of Dreams, Margaret Neilson Armstrong American, illustration: photomechanical reproduction of a drawing — Weaver of Dreams
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