A painted decoration to the fore-edge (see also gauffering). Foredge paintings may be double (a different painting appearing according to which way the book is fanned) or single; the foredge may also be concealed beneath gilt.
A small painting, often a landscape, painted on the outer edge of the text block, only visible by fanning the pages slightly.
A form of book decoration popular in the late eighteenth century which displays a painting when the books pages are fanned.
a picture painted on the fore-edge, usually while it is fanned out, the picture then becoming concealed when the volume is closed.
The front page edges of the book are bent back to expose a greater area and a watercolor painting is applied to this surface. After completion the book is closed and the painting cannot be seen. The opposite is also true. The painting is done on the edge of the pages so it can be seen when the book is closed but is not visible when the book was open.
A painted decoration on the edges of the leaves. Usually concealed when the book is flat and visible when the pages are fanned. Can also be the opposite.
A fore-edge painting is a scene painted on the edges of the pages of a book such that the painting is not visible when the book is closed. In order to view the painting, the leaves of the book must be fanned, exposing the edges of the pages and thereby the painting. Generally, gilt or marbling will be applied by the bookbinder after the painting has dried so as to make the painting completely invisible when the book is closed.