1. Kelmscott Chaucer & Golden Legend
William Morris
Kelmscott Chaucer
&
Golden Legend

2. William Morris & The Pre-Raphaelites
Against mechanized printing press; believed needed handmade cuts for more beautiful results
Thought about the image and impact he wanted to create and the type and borders he would use

3. Chaucer Font
Designed the Troy type based on Gothic type: “E” is rounded, “S” has a horizontal middle stroke, “h” has Gothic hook to the left, “g” looks identical, “e” has sloped line
BUT does not have: “d” bent left, ligatures (tied letters), and contractions
Chaucer evolved from Troy font; 12-point version of 18-point Troy font
Named because Morris planned on using it for Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales

4. Kelmscott Chaucer
Last thing published by Kelmscott Press before Morris’s death in 1896
Morris had wanted to publish this work since 1891
Worked on borders beginning in February 1893
87 illustrations from by Burne-Jones and William H. Hooper
Morris designed a few pigskin covers before he died

5. Kelmscott Chaucer

6. Kelmscott Chaucer

7. Golden Type Developed in 1890
Based on Roman type from 15th century Venetians (Nicolaus Jenson & Jacobus Rubeus)
Compared to Roman type, Morris’s is: darker, thicker
Goal for Golden type: “pure in form; severe … solid, without the thickening and thinning of the line … and not compressed laterally”

8. The Golden Legend medieval book of Saints’ lives
Supposed to be first book published by Kelmscott Press, but not finished until November 1892
Morris designed the borders
Illustrations by Edward Burne-Jones

9. The Golden Legend

10. The Golden Legend

11. Morris’s Bindings Used Henry Band’s vellum for text and bindings
Kelmscott Chaucer had different bindings:
White pigskin binding
Blindstamped pigskin binding designed by Morris