The Moonstone Title Page in Harper's Weekly

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This is the title page for The Moonstone in Harper’s Weekly’s, May 30, 1868 instalment. On this page we see two illustrations taking up a good portion of the page. In the title of The Moonstone, the words “RICHLY ILLUSTRATED” are presented as almost as big as Wilkie Collins’ name. This could show the level of importance illustrations are to Harper’s magazine. We see this importance of illustration also in the advertisements in Harper’s Weekly. 

One picture depicts Franklin Blake discovering his nightgown after reading the instructions from Rosanna’s letter. In the second illustration, we see Limping Lucy giving Franklin Blake a look of disgust, while some article of clothing hangs up to dry in the background. In both illustrations, a good amount of focus is on these articles of clothing.

Katie Lanning explains how advertising before the use sensational writing, was “largely straightforward and informational, void of sensation and affect” (13). After sensation writing came out, advertisers would try “mimicking the form of sensation writing” (13). By mimicking the sensational novels, advertisements aimed less at the instruction of the product, and more towards trying to catch the readers eye and attention through sensation and affect. This type of advertising was known as “sensational advertising” (13). We see sensational advertisements in Harper’s Weekly, as their advertisements are filled with pictures and words of different sizing and fonts.