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[Home] |
The Art of Fables
Welcome to that section of our Virtual Museum highlighting illustrations depicting seminal fabled scenes arising from a variety of traditions.
Here, you will have the opportunity to connect with masterful illustrations prepared to accompany enduring stories from timeless fables and the classics by some of the great artists from the Medieval period through to the Golden Age of Illustration. We also offer you the option to purchase Fine Art Prints, with all our reproduction images produced with archival quality processes to ensure many years of enjoyment.
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In the meantime, enjoy perusing these powerful images from the Collection.
The Shipwrecked Man and the
Sea
Full image (on the left) and detail (to the
right) for reference
Full image (on the left) and detail (to the
right) for reference
Reproduction on
12x18" sheet
Code: AD
SM (12x18)
Reproduction on
12x18" sheet
Code: AR AF 6 (12x18)
Known to the modern world as "The Sea Monster",
Dürer knew this work, in his
own language, as "Das Meerwunder".
An
informative discussion of the image and its iconography has been undertaken
by Panofsky (The life and art of Albrecht Durer: Princeton
University Press; 1945)
who suggests that the subject may relate to:
"...one of those anonymous atrocity stories
which, though
ultimately of classical origin, were currently reported a having
taken place
in recent times and in a familiar environment.
Poggio Bracciolini, for instance, relates
a tale wherein the
horrifying story of a Triton, told in Pausanias's description of
Tanagra,
is transferred to the fifteenth century and to the
coast of Dalmatia. A monster, half human, half
piscine, with
little horns and a flowing beard, was in the habit of abducting
children and young
girls enjoying themselves on the beach,
until it was killed by five determined
washerwomen."
Regardless of the explanation behind Dürer's
illustration, it is undoubtedly a
true Masterpiece that is packed with symbolism.
For more information on Albrecht Dürer, we
invite you to peruse our
Albrecht Dürer Collection
that includes some of his seminal work.
Aesop's Fables
as illustrated by Arthur Rackham included 13 tipped-in colour plates
and
more than 50 monotone illustrations throughout the 1st Edition.
The collection of Aesop's classic tales interpreted by
Rackham were selected and
introduced by G K Chesterton. As may be expected, Rackham's illustrations are
masterful and
are a fitting complement to the text, which presents the morality
tales with a touch of softness that is accessible to
young readers.
Arthur Rackham (1867-1939) is one of the great
artists associated with the Golden
Age of Illustration.
His illustrations are characterised by a
sinuous pen line softened with muted
watercolour - a feature that is typical of
the Art Nouveau aesthete. Rackham's
forests are looming with frightening grasping roots, his fair maidens are sensuous -
yet somehow chaste - and his ogres and
trolls ugly enough to repulse, but with
sufficient good nature not to frighten.
For more information on Arthur Rackham and to
see more of his art, we
invite
you to peruse our Arthur
Rackham Collection.
The Dervish's
cousin and his sister hidden in their vault under
the earth
perish in the fire of the Almighty's
anger
The Genii bringing Princess
Badoura
to Prince Camaralzaman
Full image (on the left) and detail (to the
right) for reference
Full image (on the left) and detail (to the
right) for reference
Reproduction on
12x18" sheet
Code: KN TNN C14 (12x18)
Reproduction on
12x18" sheet
Code: ED ANE 3 (12x18)
This illustration is one of a suite Nielsen prepared between 1918 and 1922 for a translation
of the works attributed to Scheherazade that had been undertaken by the Arabic scholar,
Professor Arthur Christensen.
According to Nielsen's own published comments, these
illustrations were to be the basis of
his return to book illustrations following a hiatus during World War I and
the intention had
been to publish the Danish version in parallel with versions for the English-speaking world
(to be published in Great Britain and the United States) and the French market (to be
published in Paris).
Kay Nielsen (1886-1957) is considered by many to be among the leading
artists associated
with the Golden Age of
Illustration.
Nielsen's first published commission included a suite of monotone and
full colour illustrations
for In Powder and Crinoline (1913). A year later,
his illustrations from East of the Sun and
West of the Moon - considered
by many to be among his
masterpieces - were published.
Following
World War I, he produced other great works, including Fairy Tales by Hans
Andersen, Hansel and Gretel and Other Stories from the Brothers Grimm and Red Magic.
For more information on Kay Nielsen and to
see more of his art, we
invite you to peruse
Dulac's "The Genii bringing Princess Badoura to Prince Camaralzaman" depicts
a scene from
the Persian tales attributed to Scheherazade.
Edmund Dulac (1882-1953) is one of the great artists associated with the Golden
Age
of
Illustration.
Dulac displayed an artistic interest from an early age,
with his favourite medium -
watercolours - being established in his teenage years.
Typically, Dulac's early illustrations do
not rely upon an ink line to hold the colour as he
approached the relatively new colour
printing medium as a coloured ink
drawing.
In 1913,
the mellow, romantic blues that Dulac had tended towards a brighter
palette and
more oriental style that characterised his work for the remainder of
his life.
For more information on Edmund Dulac and to
see more of his art, we
invite you to
peruse our Edmund Dulac Collection.
And she proceeded to burn
perfume and repeat
spells until the sea foamed
and was agitated
Full image (on the left) and detail (to the
right) for reference
Full image (on the left) and detail (to the
right) for reference
Reproduction on
12x18" sheet
Code: WP KIS (12x18)
Reproduction on 12x18" sheet
Code: MP AN C5 (12x18)
This illustration by Willy Pogány is one of a
suite prepared for The King of
Ireland's Son - a collection of Irish
fables interpreted by Padraic Colum.
Willy
Pogány (1882-1955) was another of the artists identified with the Golden
Age of
Illustration. He was a prolific contributor to both childrens' and adult
books -
providing illustrations to over 100 titles. His Art Nouveau influenced
work is
simply stunning.
Departing
from his native Hungary, Pogány lived in London for 10 years from
1906 - illustrating a number of books during that time, including Faust (1908)
and the most elaborate of his numerous interpretations of Rubáiyát of Omar
Khayyám
(1909).
Prior to
his emigration to the United States of America in 1914, Pogány also
completed what are considered to be his masterpieces, with contributions to
Wagner's
trilogy of Tannhäuser (1911), Parsifal (1912) and Lohengrin (1913).
Fabulous work followed his relocation to the United
States of America,
including his magnificent monotone work for The Kasidah of Haji Abdu
El-Yezdi (1931) and
The Light of Asia; or, The Great Renunciation
(Mahâbhinishkramana)
being The Life and
Teaching of Gautama (1932).
For more information on Willy Pogány and to
see more of his art, we
invite
you to peruse our Willy Pogány Collection.
This illustration is one of a suite prepared
by Parrish to accompany The Arabian
Nights (1909) edited by Kate Douglas
Wiggin and Nora S Smith - it depicts
"Gulnare of the Sea".
Maxfield
Parrish (1870-1966) was among the leading artists associated with
what is known
as the Golden Age of Illustration and contributed significantly to
shaping the
future of American visual arts throughout his more than 50 year
career.
Parrish's work is characterized by an attention to
detail, composition and
texture - whether in his monotone work or in his more recognizable, luminous
colour illustrations. Those titles including illustrated
by Parrish exclusively in
colour include Poems of Childhood, The
Arabian Nights, A Wonder Book and
Tanglewood Tales, The Golden Treasury of Songs and Lyrics and Knave
of
Hearts.
For more information on Maxfield Parrish and to
see more of his art, we
invite
you to peruse our
Maxfield
Parrish Collection.
Scheherazade
went on with her story
The deeds of magic with a
horse
Full image (on the left) and detail (to the
right) for reference
Full image (on the left) and detail (to the
right) for reference
Reproduction on 12x18" sheet
Code: VS AN C2 (12x18)
Reproduction on 12x18" sheet
Code: TM AHWLR C10 12x18
This illustration by Virginia Sterrett is one of a
suite prepared for
''The Arabian Nights'' - her final illustrated book.
Virigina Sterrett (1900-1931) was an American artist of
stellar talent
associated with the Golden Age of Illustration. During her short life,
she left the World with many beautiful images that displayed her
outstanding ability to imbibe fantasy images with the spirit of her
own age.
Sterrett received her first commission at the tender
age of 19
(shortly after she was diagnosed with Tuberculosis) from The Penn
Publishing Company to illustrate Old French
Fairy Tales - a
collection of works from the 19th Century French author, Comtesse
de Ségur (Sophie Fedorovna
Rostopchine).
A year after the publication of Old French Fairy
Tales, a new title
including commissioned works from Sterrett was presented by
The Penn Publishing Company - Tanglewood Tales.
From 1923, in failing health, Sterrett was able to work
on projects
for short periods of time only and as a result, she was able to
complete just one further commission prior to
her death - her own
interpretation of Scheherazade's tales of Arabian Nights.
For more information on Virginia Sterrett and to
see more of her
art, we
invite you to peruse our
Virginia Sterrett Collection.
This illustration is one of a suite
prepared by Mackenzie for Arthur
Ransome's ''Aladdin and His
Wonderful Lamp in Rhyme''.
The traditional Persian tale of Aladdin is brought
to life with stunningly
sumptuous imagery by Mackenzie. Interestingly,
he has applied an
Oriental - rather than Orientalist - perspective to
the imagery which is
more reminiscent of the Far East than a more typical treatment that
may have placed the story in an Arabian setting.
That approach is reflected in the marginal
illustrations too, with distinct
influences from then-contemporary Meiji-era Japanese woodblock artists
most apparent.
Thomas Mackenzie (1887-1944) was an artist
associated with the Golden
Age of Illustration. He produced illustrations for books and watercolours
during the early 20th
Century.
His earliest commissioned works were for "Ali Baba and Aladdin"
and
illustrations for Chaundler's "Arthur
and His Knights". Other illustrated
books followed, including "Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp",
"Hassan"
and "The Crock
of Gold".
Mackenzie's illustrations are reminiscent of the work of his Art Nouveau
peers,
including Aubrey Beardsley, Harry Clarke and Kay
Nielsen. His
images for "Arthur and His Knights, in particular, are
stylistically similar
to
those of Nielsen in "East of the Sun and West of the
Moon", but have
a
softness about them that remind one
of the watercolours that he also
produced.
For more information on Thomas Mackenzie and to
see more of his art,
weinvite you to peruse our
Thomas Mackenzie Collection.
... they bore the
tree before the rock
cavern where the
Sun Goddess was
Full image (on the left) and detail (to the
right) for reference
Full image (on the left) and detail (to the
right) for reference
Reproduction on 20x30" sheet
Code: WG SI 1 (20x30)
Reproduction on
20x30" sheet
Code: FCP NR 20x30
This is one of a suite of illustrations
prepared by Warwick Goble depicting scenes
from Japanese fables - this image
being associated with the tale of 'Susa, the
Impetuous'. He has translated
Meiji-era influences wonderfully, blending them with
his own post-Victorian watercolour style.
Warwick Goble (1862-1943) was among the English artists
associated with the
Golden Age of Illustration. He took training in London
and focused on watercolours
as a medium - being first employed by a printer specialising in chromolithography.
Among his first published illustrations were those
accompanying ''The Oracle of
Baal'' and ''War of the Worlds''. Other commissions followed in the early 1900s
including
''The Water-babies: A fairy tale for a Land-baby'' (1909), ''Green Willow
and Other Japanese
Fairy Tales'' (1910), ''Stories from the Pentamerone'' (1911),
''The Complete Poetical Works of Geoffrey Chaucer'' (1912),
''Folk Tales of
Bengal
(1912), ''Indian Myth and
Legend'' (1913), ''The Fairy
Book'' (1913) and
''The Book of Fairy Poetry'' (1920).
For more information on Warwick Goble and to
see more of his art, we
invite you
to peruse our
Warwick
Goble Collection.
Papé's "Nightingale the Robber"
depicts the moment wherein the
legendary medieval Russian bogatyr (Knight-errant), Ilya
Muromets
(mounted on his fabled steed, Cloudfall), kills Nightingale
the Robber.
Frank C Papé (1878-1972) was an English artist
associated with the
Golden Age of Illustration. He contributed colour
illustrations to many
titles in his early career - at that time, his artwork carried many Art
Nouveau and Pre-Raphaelite influences.
Throughout the latter part of his career, Papé
contributed to illustrated
books almost exclusively with monotone images.
For more information on Frank C Papé, we
invite you to peruse our
Frank C
Papé Collection that includes some of his seminal work,
including his suite of illustrations for:
•
''The
Toils and Travels
of Odysseus''
;
•
''Fifty-Two Stories of
Classic Heroes''
;
•
''Siegfried and Kriemhild''
;
•
''The Russian Story Book''
; and
•
''Suetonius' 'Lives of the Twelve Caesars'''.
Full image (on the left) and detail (to the
right) for reference
Full image (on the left) and detail (to the
right) for reference
Reproduction on
12x18" sheet
Code: RB AN C7 (12x18)
Reproduction on 8x10" sheet
Code: EP CdL C10 (8x10)
This illustration is one of a suite prepared by
Bull for the 1912 First Edition
of ''The Arabian Nights'' - an edition that is among the most lavish of the
illustrated books
produced during the Golden Age of Illustration. Replete with
a generous
suite of colour illustrations and an incredible array of monotone
images, it
is considered by many to be René Bull's masterpiece.
René Bull (1872-1942) is considered among the artists associated with what
has
been termed the Golden Age
of
Illustration.
Born in Dublin, Bull embarked on what was to be a varied
artistic career after
meeting
the French satirist and political
cartoonist Caran
d'Ache (the
pseudonym
of Emmanuel Poiré) in Paris.
Bull contributed sketches and political cartoons to a
variety of publications
throughout his career and developed further artistic
influences following his
travels to the Middle East. That personal experience allowed Bull to
incorporate expert detail into those illustrations with Oriental
themes and
like Edmund Dulac and Warwick Goble, he incorporated those influences
in
suites of designs for illustrated books.
For more information on René Bull and to
see more of his art, we
invite you
to peruse our
René Bull Collection.
This is one of a suite of illustrations
prepared by Paul for ''Clair de Lune
and Other Troubadour Romances'' -
"Clair de Lune" being an example of
a Medieval 'chantefable' (a sung song).
Evelyn Paul (1883-1963) was an English artist associated with the
Golden Age
of
Illustration. She is, perhaps, best known for her work as
an illuminator.
Paul illustrations - often accompanying her
illuminations - were influenced
by a variety of styles including Gothic Revival,
Art Nouveau and Arts and
Crafts. Among individual artists that may have provided
significant influence
to her style is the noted the Pre-Raphaelite, Dante
Gabriel Rossetti.
Her most famous work appeared in titles including ''Stories from Dante'',
''The Romance of Tristram of Lyones and La beale Isoude'',
Dante's ''La Vita
Nuova'', ''Aucassin & Nicolete'' and ''Clair de Lune
and Other Troubadour
Romances''.
For more information on Evelyn Paul and to
see more of her art, we invite
you to peruse our
Evelyn Paul Collection.
Full image (on the left) and detail (to the
right) for reference
Full image (on the left) and detail (to the
right) for reference
Reproduction on 12x18" sheet
Code: AS CPN C1 (12x18)
Reproduction on
12x18" sheet
Code: EJD FA C20 (12x18)
This illustration is one of a suite prepared by
Ségur for ''Contes des pays
de neige'' (1955) - it is associated with the Russian tale
'Winter's Bride'.
Adrienne
Ségur (1901-1981) was most active as a children's book
illustrator through the
two decades following World War II, but her first
published illustrations
appeared in ''Le Pays des 36000 volontés''
when she
was 28. A year later, in 1930, her second suite of illustrations
was
published for ''Aventures de Cotonnet'' - a book that was followed by two
sequels, ''Cotonnet,
Aviateur'' and ''Cotonnet en Amérique''. Her earlier
illustrations, while
charming, were simple and stood in stark contrast to
the hauntingly beautiful
and whimsically detailed illustrated work that
was to emerge in the 1940s.
In 1949,
Ségur contributed colour and black and white illustrations to
''Alice au pays des merveilles'', the French adaptation of Carrolls'
''Alice
in Wonderland''
- it is considered her masterpiece. The colour illustrations,
in particular,
throughout ''Alice au pays des merveilles'', show the fantasy
animals and
imagery that marks her stylistic 'coming of age'.
For more information on Adrienne Ségur and to
see more of her art, we
invite you to peruse our
Adrienne Ségur
Collection.
Detmold's
'The Monkey and the Dolphin' is one of his suite of illustrations
for ''The Fables of Aesop''
- the images in that suite are considered to be
among his
masterworks. His complete set of 25 colour
images are
characteristically graceful and are imbued with a rich a varied
colour
palate that typified Detmold's Eastern
influences.
The text for
this edition was derived from the third edition of L'Estrange's
translation from 1699.
Edward Julius Detmold (1883-1957) was twin brother to
Charles Maurice
Detmold (1883-1908). The pair were among the artists associated with
the Golden Age of
Illustration.
The Detmold brothers were raised in London by their maternal uncle,
Dr E B Shuldham, and were exposed to exotic art from an early age
through their guardian's extensive interest in Eastern
art, including a
collection of Japanese woodblocks of fauna and flora. The brothers also
benefited from time spent
with another uncle, the artist Henry E Detmold,
who is believed to have encouraged the brothers' artistic
interests. In
such a supportive environment, the twins artistic skills were highly
developed by their early teenage
years and their debut is known to have
occurred when they were 13 with a showing at the Royal Academy and
the
Royal Institute of Watercolour Painters.
For more information on Edward Julius Detmold
and to see more of his
art, we invite you to peruse our
Edward Julius
Detmold Collection.
Ilya Muromets
and Yegor-Svyatogor
Dream of the Orient; or, The
Peri
Full image (on the left) and detail (to the
right) for reference
Full image (on the left) and detail (to the
right) for reference
Reproduction on
12x18" sheet
Code: IB IMYS C1 (12x18)
Reproduction on 12X18" sheet
Code: GM DOP (12X18)
This extraordinarily powerful and vibrant illustration
by Ivan Bilibin
interprets the traditional Russian tale of Ilya Muromet
and
Yegor-Svyatogor.
The tale tells of how Ilya set off to challenge
Svyatogor soon after
being made a 'bogatyr' by Prince Vladimir the Fair Sun. Despite
warnings from pilgrims, Ilya is determined to
meet Svyatogor and, on
the road, he finds a giant asleep on a giant horse. Striking at the giant
with his mace, Ilya only
manages to be caught and put in the giant's
pocket - all while the giant remains asleep. Upon the giant waking,
Ilya
introduces himself and learns that his captor is Svyatogor. The
two become friends and journey onwards together before they
arrive
at a giant stone coffin (both have a premonition that it is for
Svyatogor). The premonitions come true, but before being sealed in
the coffin for eternity, Svyatogor passes part of his strength to Ilya
through his final breath.
Ivan Bilibin (1876-1942) is a Russian artist associated with the
Golden Age of Illustration.
Throughout his long career, Bilibin was influenced by
Slavic folklore
in choosing themes to illustrate - on one occasion, he published his
thoughts on the matter in ''Folk Arts of the Russian North'' (1904).
Bilibin was a member of Sergei Diaghilev's 'Mir
iskusstva'
('World of Art') group and, in addition to illustrating books, also
contributed to designs for the theatre.
For more information on Ivan Bilibin and to
see more of his art, we
invite you to peruse our
Ivan Bilibin Collection.
Moreau's "Dream of the Orient; or, The
Peri" depicts one of the fabled
beings inhabiting Persian tales.
Gustave Moreau (1826-1898) was a French Symbolist
painter.
He developed an interest in depicting
mythological and religious themes
through influences including those of his
initial artistic training and his
social network.
Moreau has been quoted as
providing the following description of his
artistic interests and goals:
I am dominated by one thing, an irresistible, burning
attraction towards the abstract. The expression of
human feelings and the passions of man certainly
interest me deeply, but I am less concerned with
expressing the motions of the soul and mind than to
render visible, so to speak, the inner flashes of
intuition which have something divine in their
apparent insignificance and reveal magic, even divine
horizons, when they are transposed into the
marvelous effects of pure plastic art.
For more information on Gustave Moreau and to
see more of his art,
we invite you to peruse our
Gustave
Moreau Collection.
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