Cover design by K. Romney Towndrow for Karel Capek's 'Krakatit', probably the edition of the translation by Laurence Hyde, published by Geoffrey Bles. London, 1925.

Colour process engraving, signed by the artist.

Formerly part of the permanent collection of the British Institute of Industrial Art, transferred to the Victoria & Albert Museum on 1 January 1934.

The British Institute of Industrial Art (BIIA) existed from 1919 to 1934. It was established by the Board of Trade and the Board of Education with the primary aim of raising the standard of design in British manufacturing industry. Though its activities, it also sought to influence public taste, and contained numerous examples of popular Art Deco and interwar period styles. The BIIA opened an Exhibition Gallery in Knightsbridge, London, and, during the two decades of its existence, held a series of exhibitions and public lectures, and published various reports. In 1922, the BAAI held their annual show at the V&A. The organisation was dissolved in 1934 when the Board of Trade decided to take direct responsibility for the arts and industry. 361 objects from the BIIA permanent collection were transferred to the V&A, largely consisting of prints and ceramics. These objects were on long term display in the north court galleries of the V&A prior to their official transfer into the permanent collection in 1934.

Karel Čapek was a Czech writer best known in the science fiction genre. His 1920 play 'R.U.R.' or Rossumovi Univerzální Roboti (Rossum's Universal Robots) is credited with introducing the word 'robot' to the English language. Its etymology is Slavic and denotes labour or toil. The title 'Krakatit' derives from the Indonesian volcano Krakatoa. It was written in 1922 and was dramatised into a film of 1948 directed by Otakar Vávra.

E.3898-1934