Deconstruction and Reconstruction of the Book (1990)

Cover of a book titled 'ETYM OLOG ICON' featuring embossed letters on a textured black background.

Deconstruction and Reconstruction of the Book (1990)
Norman Clayton
Softcover, exposed spine, hand sewn. H250 x W205 mm. [50] pages, including 4-page foldout. Edition of 200, of which this is #90. Acquired from the artist, 23 June 2026.
Photos: Books On Books Collection.

As a student at the Rhode Island School of Design, Norman Clayton journeyed back to the beginning of printed books in the western world with a Nikon FE2 and 55mm macro lens. He captured those elements that, during the age of incunabula (printed books before 1500), typesetters and printers-cum-editors were reshaping from manuscripts into what would become the received structure of the book. More satisfying, he poured those photos and the craft he was learning at RISD into an artist’s book. It is hand sewn over linen reinforcing tapes so that the booklet lies flat to offer up the images celebrating the title page, table of contents, illustrated capitals, illustrations and text, and printers’ marks — all drawn from thirty-six works in the Annmary Brown Memorial Library at Brown University in Providence, RI.

A spread of a book featuring a plain left page labeled 'Title Page' and a right page with intricate, stylized calligraphy dated 1896.

An open book page featuring a title 'Tractatus in modo' at the top, with an intricate woodcut illustration depicting a figure surrounded by nature, trees, and a distant figure, accompanied by faint handwritten notes on the lower left corner.

Title pages.

An open book page featuring text in a historic typeface, listing various terms and chapters related to anatomy or natural history.

Table of Contents.

An open book page featuring decorative calligraphy and illustrations. The left page has a detailed initial letter and text in a Gothic script, while the right page displays a large ornate letter embellished with floral designs.

Illustrated Capital.

An open book displaying a vintage illustration of a figure with long hair and a robe standing in a frame, on the opposite page is a simple text labeled 'Illustration and Text'.

A spread showcasing a page with Gothic-style text on the left and six circular illustrations on the right, depicting various symbols and letters.

Illustration and Text.

An open book displaying a page with the title 'Printer's Mark' and an illustration of a circular design featuring the letter 'B' and geometric shapes.

Printer’s Mark. (Benedictus Hectoris)

There are plenty of full color illustrated histories of the history of the book available, but Clayton’s black and white photographs, choice of font (Stempel Garamond Roman) and paper (Warren Lustro Cream), and neatly executed exposed-spine binding deliver a satisfying artist’s book with a sense of the texture and material of history.

Close-up view of a textured bookcover with raised lettering and exposed binding, set on a wooden surface.

Clayton’s introduction to his fold-out index elicits a smile and a wish that he had also captured a colophon or two. Perhaps there’s a revised edition project looking for an intern or future book artist.