It has been announced that the Folio Society will mark its 70 year history with a special exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum from the 5th September.
The Artful Book: 70 years of The Folio Society will look at the company’s history of publishing illustrated books and can be found at the entrance to the National Art Library at the V&A.
This display will include The Folio Society’s first title an illustrated edition of Tales by Tolstoy, which was published in 1947 and will be displayed alongside a selection of original artwork from The Folio Society archive accompanied by the books for which they were commissioned, a selection of materials showing the history of the company and a dedicated reading corner inside the National Art Library where a range of titles can be enjoyed first hand during opening hours. The display will also feature artwork by Quentin Blake, Angela Barrett, Charles Keeping, Neil Packer, Anna and Elena Balbusso, Geoff Grandfield and Harry Brockway and many others are included.
The first meeting of The Folio Society was held on 10 February 1947. The ‘society’ then consisted of three ambitious, enlightened men – among them the founder of The Folio Society, Charles Ede. Under the stewardship of Lord Gavron from 1982, and now Lady Gavron and the Gavron family, The Folio Society has continued to honour the founder’s promise of producing ‘editions of the world’s great literature, in a format worthy of its contents, at a price within the reach of everyman’.
Talking about the news of the exhibition Tom Walker Editorial Director of The Folio Society said: “There could be no more fitting tribute to the enduring legacy of The Folio Society than this rare honour of a dedicated display at the V&A. We are delighted to have the opportunity to showcase our history and celebrate our seventieth anniversary at the world’s leading museum of art, design and performance.”
The Artful Book: 70 Years of The Folio Society will be on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum from the 5th September until the 28th January 2018. For more information visit: https://www.vam.ac.uk/event/x2XKxjmB/the-artful-book-70-years-of-the-folio-society-ldf