Printing proof of 'Form and Color' by George Collingridge

MLMSS 12012/1X

fonds

approximately 1905

9651850

0.37 metres of textual and graphic material (1 outsize box)

George Alphonse Collingridge de Tourcey, known as George Collingridge was an artist, author, historian, geographer, cartographer and linguist. He was born in England before moving to Paris with his family where he studied architecture, wood-engraving and painting. He became an accomplished engraver and worked for the Illustrated London News and L'Illustration.
In 1879 he migrated to Australia to join his brother Arthur and gained illustrative work producing engravings for the Illustrated Sydney News alongside his brother. He also worked for the Australian Town and Country Journal and the Sydney Mail. He was a talented xylographer (wood-engraver) and very quickly made his mark, gaining the first prize for xylography at the Sydney International Exhibition in 1879.
Along with his brother Arthur, Collingridge founded the (Royal) Art Society of New South Wales in July 1880, and in 1888 they launched the short-lived Australian Art, the first such journal in the continent. Collingridge taught at Hornsby Technical College and Sydney Technical College where it is believed he produced Form and Color. He was also a private art teacher and provided advice on wood-engraving to both Lionel and Norman Lindsay.
Collingridge published many books and was the publisher of Hornsby’s first newspaper, a small journal called Progress that was illustrated with his detailed engravings. He was also an accomplished cartographer, and not only produced maps of his own, including the first map of the Ryde area.
‘Form and Color' was published in seven parts, the first four being devoted to Drawing the others to Painting. Only 250 copies were printed, of which nos. 1-6 were on parchment. Only one complete copy of Form and Color is recorded as being held in an institutional collection and it is listed in a typescript Bibliography of George Alphonse Collingridge de Tourcey, 1888-1925, compiled by O. H. K. Spate, 1979. Only one complete copy of Form and Color is recorded as being held in an institutional collection in Australia, at Macquarie University Library. Two parts of the seven part publication are held by the National Library of Australia.
Reference: Library acquisition file

By descent from one of George Collingridge’s granddaughters, Edith, Winsome or Ruth.

Partial printing proof of George Collingridge's publication 'Form and Color', c 1905. Includes illustrated cover or wrapper, 21 printed sheets of typescript and reproduced handscript, a prospectus of books available from the author, 2 coloured wood-block bookplates, and 6 large printed sheets that include 35 black and white reproductions of engravings for the publication.