First—as to the Title of the Work. This will be, in future, The Illustrated Magazine of Art. The title, “The Illustrated Exhibitor,” &c., led many persons to suppose that it was a description of the objects deposited at the Great Exhibition of 1851; whereas it is, as its new title will more clearly explain, a rich repository of choice Specimens of Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Ornamental Design, Natural History, Portraits, Machinery, Manufacturing Processes, &c. &c.

Secondly—as to the character of the Contents. The Articles will appear in a more continuous and perfect form, with few or none of those breaks and interruptions which gave the Series just concluded somewhat too much of a fragmentary form. Due regard will be paid to an interesting variety; and, where the entire subject cannot be disposed of in one Part, it will be so arranged as that each portion shall be complete in itself.

Thirdly—as to the Price. Instead of the Monthly Parts varying in price,—at sometimes 9d., and at other times 11d.,—the Parts will be published at the uniform price of One Shilling each. For this slight advance in price the Purchasers will have a valuable equivalent. Besides the profusion of Engravings throughout the Work, each Part will contain at least Four principal Engravings, worked off separately upon superfine Plate Paper. In order to compete the Half-yearly Volumes, the Parts for June and December will contain Thirty-two Pages extra of illustrated matter, and Two separate first-class Engravings, worked on Plate Paper. The price of these Parts will be 1s. 6d. each. As has been already announced, the Weekly Sections will consist of Sixteen Pages, with a number of Engravings in the Text, and a first-class Engraving, printed separately on fine Plate Paper; the whole stitched in a neat Wrapper, price Threepence.

A feature of considerable interest will be introduced in the Pictorial Department, namely, The Works of the Great Masters. One entire Work will be given in each Monthly Part, including a Memoir of the Master, with his Portrait, and a Selection of Six of his principal Works, beautifully engraved, and accompanied with appropriate descriptions.

The Literary Department of the Work, also, will undergo considerable improvement. Not the least interesting of the improvements will be a course of Papers entitled, “The Men and Women of the Age,” not only of this but of other countries, with exquisitely engraved Portraits, and Original Biographical Sketches, obtained from the most authentic sources. Nor will the taste for lighter Literature be overlooked. The Illustrated Magazine of Art will contain a Series of Original Historical and other Tales; including several by Anna Maria Howitt, entitled, “The School of Life;” and an Historical Novel, “The Dead Bridal,” illustrative of one of the most interesting periods in the history of the Venetian Republic, by “Jonathan Frere Slingsby,” of the Dublin University Magazine, which will be commenced in the next Part; also contributions from William and Mary Howitt, Percy B. St. John, and other distinguished Writers. In other respects, too, The Illustrated Magazine of Art will be decidedly superior to its predecessor, upon which such high eulogiums have been pronounced by all portions of the Public Press.

London: JOHN CASSELL, Ludgate Hill; and all Booksellers.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES

  1. Moved the initial book listings from before the [Title Page] to between the [Colophon] and the [continuation] of the lists.
  2. P. [172], changed “Millard Fillmore is not our master, but our master, but our servant” to “Millard Fillmore is not our master, but our servant”.
  3. Silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling.
  4. Archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings retained as printed.
  5. Footnotes were re-indexed using numbers and collected together at the end of the last chapter.