''La Belle Dame Sans Merci''
Design by Harry Clarke
The subject of this illustration by Clarke are the protagonists mentioned within the ballad La Belle Dame Sans Merci by
John Keats - the mysterious woman said to be a faery's child who has enchanted the tragic unnamed knight.
The original version of La Belle Dame Sans Merci was written by Keats in 1819 and reads as follows:
O what can ail thee, knight at arms,
Alone and palely loitering?
The sedge has wither'd from the lake,
And no birds sing.
O what can ail thee, knight at arms,
So haggard and so woe-begone?
The squirrel's granary is full,
And the harvest's done.
I see a lily on thy brow,
With anguish moist and fever dew,
And on thy cheeks a fading rose
Fast withereth too.
I met a lady in the meads,
Full beautiful - a faery's child,
Her hair was long, her foot was light,
And her eyes were wild.
I made a garland for her head,
And bracelets too, and fragrant zone;
She look'd at me as she did love,
And made sweet moan.
I sat her on my pacing steed,
And nothing else saw all day long,
For sidelong would she bend, and sing
A faery's song.
She found me roots of relish sweet,
And honey wild, and manna dew,
And sure in language strange she said -
I love thee true.
She took me to her elfin grot,
And there she wept and sigh'd full sore,
And there I shut her wild wild eyes
With kisses four.
And there she lulled me asleep
And there I dream'd - Ah! woe betide! -
The latest dream I ever dream'd
On the cold hill side.
I saw pale kings and princes too,
Pale warriors, death-pale were they all;
They cried - "La Belle Dame sans Merci
Hath thee in thrall!"
I saw their starv'd lips in the gloam,
With horrid warning gaped wide,
And I awoke and found me here,
On the cold hill's side.
And this is why I sojourn here
Alone and palely loitering,
Though the sedge is wither'd from the lake,
And no birds sing.
Clarke's illustration inspired by Keats' ballad is quite wonderful, depicting the languid ethereal tone of the ballad in his
unique style.
.jpg) Complete image |
Single Greeting Card (with matching Envelope)
Code: HC
BDSM SGC |
%20(300).jpg) Detail (for reference) |
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Reproduction on 12x18" sheet
Code: HC
BDSM 12x18 |
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Reproduction on 18x24" sheet
Code: HC
BDSM 18x24 |
Our Greeting Cards
When presented on Greeting Cards, this image is prepared as a tipped-on plate - in hommage to the hand-crafted
approach typical of prestige illustrated publications produced in the early decades of the 20th Century. Each card is
hand-finished, with the image presented on Ivory card stock with an accompanying envelope. On the rear of each
card we also present some information about Harry Clarke and this wonderful illustration. We have left the interior
of the cards blank so that you may write your own personal message.
Our large format reproductions
Each of our large format reproductions are prepared with archival quality materials and processes to ensure many years
of enjoyment. In addition, our reproductions are accompanied by explanatory material relating to Harry Clarke
and this wonderful illustration.
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