A collection of decorated books from the London College of Communication Library, University of the Arts London, has been launched online this week by the Visual Arts Data Service (VADS).

The collection of Dutch decorated books provides primary source material for bookbinding research and is also of use to graphic design and typographical researchers.  The collection includes bindings in the Nieuwe Kunst and Art Nouveau styles by artists such as Jozef Cantre, Jan Toorop, and P.A.H. Hofman.

Pscyhe, Louis Couperus, design: Jan Toorop © University of the Arts London, London College of Communication

The collection includes a Dutch translation of a collection of the writings of poet and designer William Morris (1834-1896), and this is the first binding work of designer and typographer Sjoerd Hendrik De Roos (1877-1962), who was inspired by the Arts and Craft movement, of which Morris was a leading figure.

Kunst en maatschappij /Art and Society, William Morris, design: Sjoerd H. de Roos © University of the Arts London, London College of Communication

There are several titles by Arthur van Schendel (1874-1946) the Dutch novelist and short-story writer, who produced some of the greatest novels of his period.

Pieter Adriaan Hendrik Hofman (1885-1965) was a Dutch book binder and designer of many medias. His work represents a seminal period in book art, combining the sensibilities of the Art Nouveau movement with those of the Bauhaus. His work therefore represents a design bridge which stylistically links the oldest and newest titles of the collection.

Heer Halewijn, Nico Rost, design: P. A. H. Hofman © University of the Arts London, London College of Communication

The collection is a celebration of the book, both for their contents and covers, and informs us of an important point in the development of book design.  For more information and to view all the images from the collection, see http://www.vads.ac.uk/collections/NDB

The University for the Creative Arts has appointed Leigh Garrett as Director of the Visual Arts Data Service (VADS) – a research group specialising in the collection, preservation and usage of images.

The Visual Arts Data Service, based in Farnham, currently provides a national data service to support and enhance learning, teaching and research in the visual and creative arts sector across the UK.

Now in its twelfth year, it provides a national online hosting service for a wide range of collections, which are provided freely for educational use.

Leigh currently works at the University for the Creative Arts as a Senior Lecturer in Learning Technologies. He has worked in the field of learning technologies in higher education for eight years.

He said: “The last eight years have taught me that technology offers us enormous potential to transform our current learning, teaching and research practices. I am therefore delighted to be offered the opportunity to support the outstanding work of VADS, to preserve and enhance its nationally recognised collections and to lead its development as a Research Centre.”

Dr Seymour Roworth-Stokes, Pro Vice-Chancellor Research and Development, said: ”I am delighted that Leigh is joining us to take forward VADS as an internationally recognised centre of excellence for the collection and digitisation of visual arts images.

“We have a wide range of archives and collections across the University and this field of research plays an increasingly important role in making these resources accessible to a wide range of audiences.”