Printed by Samuel Collingswood, this Bible contains a fore-edge painting depicting the crucifixion of Jesus as described in the Gospels. There is evidence of fore-edge decoration as early as the tenth century, with impressed or painted patterns and gilded edges. In the sixteenth century, artists began to paint entire scenes on one or all of the edges of the book block. Some fore-edge paintings, like this one, depict scenes that complement the content of the book, while others depict local landscapes or important figures.