Vicereines of Ireland: A Captivating Academic BookUnveiling the Untold Stories of Overlooked Women in Irish History
The book tells the untold story of a group of overlooked women in Irish history. As the wives of the country's rulers, they were the female faces of the British administration in Ireland before independence. Even though their privileged world was one of shimmering fabrics, sparkling pearls, and blossoming flowers, many of these women worked hard to relieve crushing poverty, promote Irish fashion, and mitigate injustices. Despite their pioneering efforts, they have long been almost entirely forgotten in Irish history. Their story, and the value of telling it for the first time, inspired the project.
Aiming to capture the rich material world of these women and reflect their humanity, designer Jurga Rakauskaite-Larkin embarked on the creation of an academic book like no other. Titled "Vicereines of Ireland," this unique publication breaks away from the grand portraits often found on the covers of art history books. Instead, it features a simple cover that allows the image of the woman to come forward, encouraging readers to look beyond the superficial image of women as decorative partners to powerful men.
The design of "Vicereines of Ireland" was a meticulous process that involved a dialogue between the written content, the visual material discovered during the research, and current design practices. One of the key sources used in the writing of the book was an old Italian marbled notebook that belonged to one of the women. This inspired the creation of bespoke artwork for the book's end papers.
The book's color palette, derived from the blush pink paint colors found on the paint palette of one of the featured women, was sent to an artist who created six bespoke patterns using a traditional spot marbling technique. These patterns were then digitally manipulated to give them a contemporary look, adding a touch of modernity to the design.
Measuring 21.46 x 2.79 x 24.51 cm in portrait orientation, "Vicereines of Ireland" features a hardcover with Luxor 220 Gold foil block on the front and spine, as well as a dust jacket with Matt Black foil block. The interior is printed in 4/4 CMYK, and the binding consists of a hardcover with head and tail gold bands, 2.5 mm boards, and thread sewn pages. A black silk ribbon bookmark adds a touch of elegance to the book.
As an academic book, "Vicereines of Ireland" had to adhere to specific design conventions while also pushing creative boundaries to modernize the image of the art history book. The use of a bold color palette, unexpected cover image, contemporary serif typography, and a ribbon bookmark inspired by the diaries of the vicereines helped strike a balance between meeting criteria and reflecting the seriousness of the book's content.
The design of "Vicereines of Ireland" has received recognition and acclaim. It was awarded the Iron A' Design Award in the Print and Published Media Design category in 2022. This prestigious award acknowledges the book's well-designed, practical, and innovative nature, meeting professional and industrial requirements while contributing to a better world.
"Vicereines of Ireland" is not just a book; it is a testament to the resilience, strength, and contributions of the forgotten women in Irish history. Through its captivating design and meticulous attention to detail, it brings their stories to life, ensuring that they are no longer overlooked or forgotten.
Project Details and Credits
Project Designers: Jurga Rakauskaite-Larkin
Image Credits: Image #1 Unknown artist, The Right Hon. The Countess of Buckinghamshire (detail), 1778. Reproduced courtesy of the National Library of Ireland
Image #2 Ausra Lazauskiene, Marbling artist
Image #4 Robert French (photographed by), The vicereine’s boudoir at the Viceregal Lodge, Dublin, Reproduced courtesy of the National Library of Ireland.
Image #5 After Sir Thomas Lawrence, Lady Henrietta Cole, Lady Grantham, later Countess de Grey, National Trust, Florence Court, County Fermanagh
Henri Gascar, Frances Talbot (née Jennings), Duchess of Tyrconnell, Bridgeman Images.
Maria Phipps, Countess of Mulgrave, later Marchioness of Normanby
Montego Bay, Jamaica, Photograph by Scott Wicking, reproduced courtesy of the Marquis and Marchioness of Normanby.
Photographer: Kevin Fox, 'We Shoot'
Project Team Members: Editor: Myles Campbell
Project Manager: Mary Heffernan
Publisher: Irish Academic Press
Printed: Kopa Print
Project Name: Vicereines of Ireland
Project Client: Jurga Rakauskaite-Larkin