Recto and verso  

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-{{Template}}+[[Image:Reverse Side Of a Painting.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''[[Reverse Side of a Painting]]'' (1670) by [[Cornelis Norbertus Gysbrechts]], an example of ''[[metapainting]]''.]] {{Template}}
 +The '''recto''' and '''verso''' are respectively the "front" and "back" sides of a leaf of paper in a bound item such as a [[codex]], [[book]], [[broadsheet]], or [[pamphlet]]. In languages written from left to right (such as [[English language|English]]) the recto is the [[Relative direction|right-hand]] page and the verso the left-hand page. These are terms of art in the binding, printing, and publishing industries, and can be applied more broadly to any field where physical documents are exchanged.
-[[painting consciousness]]+The term '''recto-verso''' describes two-sided text. The terms are important in the field of [[codicology]], where each physical sheet of a manuscript is numbered and the sides are referred to as ''recto'' and ''verso''. Critical editions of manuscripts will often mark the position of text in the original manuscript, or manuscripts, in the style '42r.' or '673vº'.
-Das Motiv Rückseite eines gerahmten Gemäldes malte er ein weiteres mal. Auf der Recto-Seite des Bildes sieht man (jeweils gemalt) einen Rahmen, einen weiteren Rahmen, mit dem die Leinwand gespannt wurde, Nägelchen, die den Spannrahmen fixieren und einen kleinen Zettel mit einer Inventarnummer. Das Bild selbst ist ungerahmt, seine Rückseite ist die übliche Rückseite eines Ölgemäldes: Gijsbrechts Bild ist das einzige Bild der Welt mit zwei Rückseiten.+The use of the terms 'recto' and 'verso' are also used in the codicology of manuscripts written in right-to-left scripts, like [[Syriac alphabet|Syriac]], [[Arabic alphabet|Arabic]] and [[Hebrew alphabet|Hebrew]]. However, as these scripts are written in the other direction to the scripts witnessed in European codices, the recto page is to the left while the verso is to the right. The reading order of each '''folio''' remains 'first recto, then verso' regardless of writing direction.
 +The terms are carried over into printing; ''recto-verso'' is the norm for printed books, but was an important advantage of the [[printing-press]] over the much older Asian [[woodblock printing]] method, which printed by rubbing from behind the page being printed, and so could only print on one side of a piece of paper. The distinction between recto and verso can be convenient in the [[annotation]] of scholarly books, particularly in [[bilingual edition]] translations.
 +
 +The "recto" and "verso" terms can also be employed for the front and back of a one-sheet artwork, particularly in [[drawing]]. A recto-verso drawing is a sheet with drawings on both sides, for example in a sketchbook—although usually in these cases there is no obvious primary side. Some works are planned to exploit being on two sides of the same piece of paper, but usually the works are not intended to be considered together. Paper was relatively expensive in the past; indeed good drawing paper still is much more expensive than normal paper.
 +
 +By book publishing convention, the first page of a book, and sometimes of each section and chapter of a book, is a recto page, and hence all recto pages will have odd numbers and all verso pages will have even numbers.
 +
 +In some early printed books (e.g. [[João de Barros]]'s ''Décadas da Ásia''), it is the folios ("leaves"), rather than the pages, that are numbered. Thus each folio carries a consecutive number on its recto side, while on the verso side there is no number.
 +
 +== Idioms in modern languages ==
 +
 +''Le mode recto verso'' is an [[idiom]]atic expression in [[French language|French]] that means, literally, "two sides of a sheet or page", but figuratively means that two things are basically the same, or that they are different but closely related. This is analogous to, (and maybe even [[wiktionary:cognateness|cognate]] to) some idioms in [[English language|English]] such as "two sides of the same coin" or "six of one and half a dozen of the other".
 +
 +==See also==
 +*[[Book design]]
 +*[[Obverse and reverse]] in coins
 +*[[Verso Books]]
 +*[[Book_design#Page_spread|Page spread]]
-The motive back of a framed painting, he painted a second time. On the [[recto]] side of the picture you can see (each painting) a frame, another frame, with which the canvas was stretched, little nail, fix the clamping frame and a small piece of paper with an inventory number. The image itself is unframed, his back is the usual back of an oil painting: Gijsbrechts picture is the only picture of the world with two backs. 
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The recto and verso are respectively the "front" and "back" sides of a leaf of paper in a bound item such as a codex, book, broadsheet, or pamphlet. In languages written from left to right (such as English) the recto is the right-hand page and the verso the left-hand page. These are terms of art in the binding, printing, and publishing industries, and can be applied more broadly to any field where physical documents are exchanged.

The term recto-verso describes two-sided text. The terms are important in the field of codicology, where each physical sheet of a manuscript is numbered and the sides are referred to as recto and verso. Critical editions of manuscripts will often mark the position of text in the original manuscript, or manuscripts, in the style '42r.' or '673vº'.

The use of the terms 'recto' and 'verso' are also used in the codicology of manuscripts written in right-to-left scripts, like Syriac, Arabic and Hebrew. However, as these scripts are written in the other direction to the scripts witnessed in European codices, the recto page is to the left while the verso is to the right. The reading order of each folio remains 'first recto, then verso' regardless of writing direction.

The terms are carried over into printing; recto-verso is the norm for printed books, but was an important advantage of the printing-press over the much older Asian woodblock printing method, which printed by rubbing from behind the page being printed, and so could only print on one side of a piece of paper. The distinction between recto and verso can be convenient in the annotation of scholarly books, particularly in bilingual edition translations.

The "recto" and "verso" terms can also be employed for the front and back of a one-sheet artwork, particularly in drawing. A recto-verso drawing is a sheet with drawings on both sides, for example in a sketchbook—although usually in these cases there is no obvious primary side. Some works are planned to exploit being on two sides of the same piece of paper, but usually the works are not intended to be considered together. Paper was relatively expensive in the past; indeed good drawing paper still is much more expensive than normal paper.

By book publishing convention, the first page of a book, and sometimes of each section and chapter of a book, is a recto page, and hence all recto pages will have odd numbers and all verso pages will have even numbers.

In some early printed books (e.g. João de Barros's Décadas da Ásia), it is the folios ("leaves"), rather than the pages, that are numbered. Thus each folio carries a consecutive number on its recto side, while on the verso side there is no number.

Idioms in modern languages

Le mode recto verso is an idiomatic expression in French that means, literally, "two sides of a sheet or page", but figuratively means that two things are basically the same, or that they are different but closely related. This is analogous to, (and maybe even cognate to) some idioms in English such as "two sides of the same coin" or "six of one and half a dozen of the other".

See also




Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Recto and verso" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.

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