On October 3rd, the Toronto Centre for the Book together with the Friends of Victoria Library invited Professor William St Clair to give the inaugural J.R. de Jackson Lecture for the 2012 Book History and Print Culture Lecture Series. In this lecture, titled “Image and Word: Towards a Political Economy of Book Illustration,” Prof. St Clair explores

how the changing political economy structures within which book illustrations have historically been produced, including relationships with the art industries, manufacturing technologies of image reproduction, and copyright, have determined the nature of the images that were made available to readers of books. [He also explores] the different cultural functions that the resulting images performed in shaping the nature of reading experiences. (Taken from the Jackman Humanities Institute press release)

Please listen and enjoy! [audio:2012.11/StClair.mp3]

William St Clair is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of London. The J. R. de J. Jackson Lecture is named after Robin Jackson, an eminent bibliographer and literary historian who was an esteemed member of the Department of English, a fellow of Victoria College, and a dedicated supporter of the University of Toronto’s programs in book history.