Founded in 1949 by Eva and Walter Neurath, Thames & Hudson has long described itself as a “museum without walls” – a poetic mission statement that continues through the company today. Now, a new monograph, The Art of the Book: 75 Years of Thames & Hudson, attempts to capture not only the breadth of their catalog, but also the creative decisions and methods that helped shape the publishing revolution.
For Tristan de Lancey, who has worked for Thames & Hudson since 2011, and as creative director since 2021, this project was born out of the desire to reflect the behavior of the publisher as its presentation. “‘Is it a Thames & Hudson book?’ is a question that is often asked at our press meetings,” he says. “And this applies to all our areas of education, which cover a wide – and extended – “bandwidth”.
So how do you break down three centuries of print – from art, archaeology, photography, fashion and more; with books on everything from English Cathedrals to Edvard Munch – into one volume without reducing it to highlights? The answer, de Lancey explains, was to embrace structure and commitment.
“The summary of this book agreed with Thomas Neurath [the son of founder Walter, who served as managing director and later chair of the company until his death in 2025]. We decided early on that it will be divided sequentially into three parts – the early years, the second generation and the present. “
Most press releases can only be referred to by covers. What this book does is show how we change on the inside – how the inside of books came to be
Within that framework, however, the book takes a more thematic approach. “It is impossible to give a complete account of everything that has been published in 75 years,” de Lancey admits. So the books are organized by subject area, and each issue presents a topic that brings together the options.
He adds: “Books are selected on quality, rather than sales success. “That meant talking to current and former editors, each bringing their own expertise, and then hunting down first editions, sometimes from the depths of our ‘Tin Box’ archive.”
Since most of the catalog was full during the recent office work, gathering information for The Art of the Book became a challenge. De Lancey recalls: “So we relied on what Thomas had at home, and what we could find from the archives.”
The main archive contains metal boxes filled with old documents, which eventually informed the visual language of the book. De Lancey says: “We went with them so they were the ones who started the chapters. Each of them has the first 40 or 50 books of that era. It’s the first year of Thames & Hudson.
If the book tells the overall story of Thames & Hudson’s impact on the publishing world, it does so not just on the covers, but on the inside. “A lot of press releases can only be told by the covers,” says de Lancey. “What this book does is show how we change inside books – how the inside of books has changed. That, to me, was the best thing to do.”
It is also where the Thames & Hudson philosophy is most evident. “There’s no one look that’s the same,” says De Lancey, pointing to their flexible design approach. “What matters is whether the form fits the content and the content fits the form.” He confirms this. “This is not a triumph of form over content,” he says, “it’s a marriage of form and content. Content informs form – not the other way around.”
This principle applies to many production decisions, from paper to jacket to binding methods. One recurring device is the use of different papers within the same book. “Changing the paper between signings is something we come back to again and again,” she says. “Books are simple, and the more physical they are, the more ambitious they are.
Returning to the “museum without walls” concept, de Lancey says Thames & Hudson remains committed to making art and scholarship more accessible. He says: “We’re always looking at value – despite the rising costs of production. “Business books at a lower price will always be there, often at a higher level than you would expect.”
You come to Thames & Hudson with an understanding of what a Thames & Hudson book is, and what it is not. You almost have to project your vision through that prism
In addition to this is the fact that “we have been able to remain independent, and that has enabled us to play things in a different way.
If there is one constant over the decades, it is the Thames & Hudson dolphin logo, which was originally intended to represent the two rivers in the publisher’s name. He says: “It’s still there, as everything around it has been. “The dolphins underwent a design change in the 90s when The Partners simplified the wooden cartouche into a round image…. Even 20 years later when Pentagram renewed our name (under Harry Pearce), it was decided that they would remain.”
Elsewhere, stylistic changes in design and layout are more apparent. De Lancey points to the colorful print of the 1970s prints, hand-painted by in-house designer Ian Mackenzie-Kerr, as an example of a more graphic era. Even here, however, the basic discipline of bookmaking continues. “You come to Thames & Hudson with a sense of what a Thames & Hudson book is, and what it isn’t,” he says. “You kind of have to project your vision through that prism.”
Interestingly, de Lancey says that the type of Thames & Hudson book is chosen first in relation to any strict rules of house style. Although working with artists, illustrators, writers, cultural organizations and fashion organizations requires some communication, “it is our job to agree on what the book should be and how it can work.
For a publisher known for its visual flair, it’s surprising to hear de Lancey describe their creative process in these terms, even as it speaks to Thames & Hudson’s broader understanding of the book as a form of communication. He says: “There’s a lot more you can do than print a simple book. “A book is a privilege to do.”
That sense of responsibility runs through The Art of the Book itself – not least because of the circumstances surrounding its creation. Originally created for the company’s 75th anniversary in 2024, the project gained momentum as Thomas Neurath’s health declined. De Lancey says: “He had taken a lot of the original stories of the Thames & Hudson. “This was the right way to tell them – stories that might otherwise have been forgotten. We realized the importance of that.”
Ultimately, the history of the Thames & Hudson, de Lancey says, “exists through people, as it does through books”. However, it does not seek to sanctify one person, regardless of their importance; its tone of respect is often tempered by a clear-eyed acceptance of its shortcomings. De Lancey admits: “Everybody had something left. But that’s inevitable in a project like this.”
What remains is an image of a publisher that has resisted easy categorization – like many of its subjects – by constantly adapting to its own methods while remaining steadfast in its rules. As de Lancey puts it: “Quality, quality, originality – in that order.”
The Art of the Book: 75 Years of Thames & Hudson is available now; thamesandhudson.com
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