"Lohengrin" (1913), illustrated by Willy Pogány (Spirit of the Ages)

The 1913 publication of Pogány's interpretation of Wagner's Lohengrin was the final of a trilogy of masterworks

focused on the Germanic tales. Pogány clearly approached the commission to illustrated Lohengrin as an opportunity to

improve and extend techniques that he had developed through his preceding work, particularly Rubáiyat of Omar

Khayyám, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Tannhäuser and Parsifal. That commitment to ongoing innovation

resulted in an incredible suite illustrations, including colour lithographs, monotone and marginal illustrations and the

delightful tipped-in colour plates (produced with a four-colour process) included in Lohengrin.

Themes of medieval chivalry, erotic love and moral tests are illustrated in a lavish fashion by Pogány with an

When presented on Greeting Cards, these images are prepared as tipped-on plates - 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 (in the case of the colour illustrations) or White card stock

(in the case of the monotone illustrations) with an accompanying envelope. On the rear of each card we also present

some information about Willy Pogány and the profiled illustration. We have left the interior of the cards blank so that

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 Willy Pogány

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In the meantime, enjoy perusing these wonderful examples of the art of Willy Pogány.

Part I

The Enchantment

Into the woods one morn of May

To hear the small birds sing

The Princess Elsa takes her way;

And to her gown doth cling

The little brother, blithe and gay,

Who dances down the woodland way

And shouts for joy of Spring.

Part I

The Enchantment

With fern-seed juice from head to foot

She has stain'd her fair body,

Then forth upon their track she goes,

And never a soul might see

What turned the sunny air so cold

When she passed invisibly.

Part II

The Dawn of Day

And then they saw a snow-white swan

com drawing down the tide

A little boat of pearly sheen,

And a stately Knight that sat therein,

And seem'd its course to guide.

He steps on shore - he mounts the hill -

And to the Oak has won -

The sunlight on his silver mail

Flames back, another sun.

Part II

The Dawn of Day

The trumpets sound, the lists are set,

And 'neath King Henry's throne

Count Friedrich and the stranger Knight

Meet fact to face, alone.

The bright blades wave, the bright sparks fly,

The champions tramp and reel,

And shrill and deadly rings the cry

Of steel on smitten steel.

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Part III

Clouds at High Noon

The merry minstrelsy goes on

Toward the Minster door.

The priest there and the bridegroom wait;

There shall be said the words that mate

To souls for evermore.

The bride she mounts the steps - but lo!

What figure fell and black

Between her and the door doth rise?

What voice of doom is that the cries,

As in a wail the music dies -

"Back, Elsa, turn thee back!"

Part IV

The Wraiths of Eventide

Alone, along in the vaulted room

Where one lamp burned in the fragrant gloom

Breast to breast stood the wedded pair,

While the golden strain that had led them there

Died softly down by the castle stair.

The bright hair of the maiden shone

Unbound below here loosen'd zone,

And the Swan-knight's armour, disarrayed,

A shining heap on a couch was laid,

And by it rested his battle-blade.

Part IV

The Wraiths of Eventide

A shout, a crash, and the carven door

Lay shivered along the chamber floor,

And there stood Telramund, sword in hand,

And behind him many a battle-brand

And the tossing plumes of an armèd band.

Part V

The Doom

With raffling plumes it took the land,

Beside it kneel'd the Knight'

And tenderly his hand caressed

The stately head that sought his breast,

And the snowy plumage bright.

With murmur'd words that none might hear

From the swan's neck loos'd he

A twisted ring of the beaten gold -

And as he leap'd to his feet, behold!

No swan was there to see.

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Part I

The Enchantment

Frontispiece

Part I

The Enchantment

Introductory illustration

Part I

The Enchantment

Introductory illustration

Part I

The Enchantment

Chapter Title illustration

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Part I

The Enchantment

This Dietrich, war-lord of Brabant,

That on his death-bed lies;

But ere the voice of power was stilled

And closed the eagle eyes,

"O Friedrich, Count of Telramund,

My kinsman true", saith he,

Three things of price I had from God;

Now deal thou with these three

As thou shalt hope in the Day of Days

Thy God shall deal with thee".

Part I

The Enchantment

Then Telramund bade seize the maid,

That she in bonds should lie

Until the hour when she should stand

Before the princes of the land,

And clear her name, or die.

Part II

The Dawn of Day

Frontispiece

Part II

The Dawn of Day

Introductory illustration

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Part II

The Dawn of Day

Introductory illustration

Part II

The Dawn of Day

Chapter Title illustration

Part II

The Dawn of Day

A green hill mounts from the river's edge

Where the Scheldt flows through the sighing sedge.

On the hill-top stands one old Oak-tree

And spreads its towering canopy;

A sacred place from ancient days,

When all men deemed that in the maze

Of murmuring leaves and writhen boughs

An old, earth-mighty God did house.

Nor might, beneath that sacred shade,

Or wrong be done or falsehood said.

Part II

The Dawn of Day

So once the silver trumpet blew -

And all the throng was still.

But through the sedge the river sighed

That flow'd beneath the hill.

And twice the silver trumpet blew -

And each man seem'd to hear

The wild notes of a fairy horn

Make answer faint and clear.

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Part II

The Dawn of Day

Yet know that in that land of mine

Where her cry pierced to me

Are laws thou may'st not comprehend,

And things of mystery.

"To one alone may I declare

My name and whence I come -

This secret if my bride shall seek

When I have borne her home

Part II

The Dawn of Day

It must be told! Yet in that hour

We part for evermore -

A vast, resistless, mystic power

Shall hale me from my bridal bower

And to my land restore.

Part II

The Dawn of Day

But soon to earth is Friedrich hurl'd -

Unhelm'd and pale he lies -

King Henry starts up in his place:

"Now stay thy hand," he cries.

"Victorious Knight! Thy cause is won.

Now mercy do thou grant,

Who shalt tomorrow share a throne

With Elsa of Brabant!"

Part II

The Dawn of Day

And now breaks in the joyous crowd,

And the lovers, pacing slow,

'Mid festal music and glad cries

Turn hand in hand, to go

To where above the towered gate

The townsfolk all arow

Leaned down to watch the pomp go by,

A thousand years ago.

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Part III

Clouds at High Noon

Frontispiece

Part III

Clouds at High Noon

Introductory illustration

Part III

Clouds at High Noon

Introductory illustration

Part III

Clouds at High Noon

Chapter Title illustration

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Part III

Clouds at High Noon

Introductory illustration

Part III

Clouds at High Noon

Introductory illustration

Part III

Clouds at High Noon

Deep falls the dark - the summer night comes down

Trailing veils of dusky sweetness thro' the town.

One by one the stars appear, large and bright.

One by one each latticed window veils its light.

Quenched the lights and still the laughter: only yet

From the Duke's high palace windows, open set.

Into the warm dusk a yellow radiance pours,

And like surf the hundred-throated revel roars.

Part III

Clouds at High Noon

Then on into the Church they swept -

And the archèd spaces dim

Rang with an angel-war of sound

As rose the marriage hymn.

Triumphant o'er the kneeling throng

The music stormed and soared;

It fill'd the quivering walls, and out

At the high door it poured.

And from the listening crowd one prayer

Rose with the mighty chant:

"May God in mercy send His grace

On Elsa of Brabant!"

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The major monotone illustrations

Part I

The Enchantment

But Ortrud the witch-wife, child of the Sea-kings,

The haughty, the crafty, Telramund's spouse,

Never again to be wife of a vassal,

Never to brook a new Queend in the Castle,

Sombrely vows.

Counsels of Hell she takes,

Many a black spell she makes -

Dietrich, O Dietrich, woe to thine House!

Part I

The Enchantment

They have searched the wood from end to end

but nothing could they see

Save here and again a little bird

That flitted from tree to tree.

Part I

The Enchantment

They have called his name from side to side

But nothing could they hear

Save the wild swans rustling in the reed

That fringed the silver mere.

Part I

The Enchantment

"O Elsa, Elsa," Ortrund spake,

"So fair thou art to see,

The fouler is the hidden heart

With shame and treachery!

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Part I

The Enchantment

Slain, slain hast thou thy little brother

That thou should'st reign alone,

Or set thy secret paramour

Upon Duke Dietrich's throne.

Part II

The Dawn of Day

A green hill mounts from the river's edge

Where the Scheldt flows through the sighing sedge.

On the hill-top stands one old Oak-tree

And spreads it towering canopy;

A sacred place from ancient days,

When all men deemed that in the maze

Of murmuring leaves and writhen boughs

An old, earth-mighty God did house.

Nor might, beneath that sacred shace,

Or wrong be done or falsehood said.

Part II

The Dawn of Day

On that fair mead beneath the Tree

There stands King Henry of Germany,

And round him many a Saxon Lord

Leans on his long two-handed sword.

Grim war-dogs, they, that frowning stood

An thought on many a field of blood,

Where those brown many-dinted swords

Had held at bay the Hunnish hordes,

While in Brabant these nobles gay

Who thronged the flowery mead today

Part II

The Dawn of Day

Hunted and hawked, and took small head

Of Christendom's most bitter need.

Thus, armed and angry in the land

Stands now King Henry, to demand

Why, of all Christian lands alone,

No banner of Brabant had flown

Against that surge of lust and hate

Where, at the empire's eastern gate,

Still master of the bloody sod

The German held the land for God

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Part II

The Dawn of Day

And then aloud spake she -

"O King, a champion waits the hour

To take my part with godlike power,

And my Deliverer be.

"In dreams I saw him: silver-bright

His jewell'd armour shone.

His sword was a beam of light,

His crest a silver swan.

"He is my Lord, he is my King.

And his till death am I.

Com Victor, Lord, the hour is near -

Oh hear thy poor maid's cry!"

Part II

The Dawn of Day

Then spake the Lord of Telramund

"Her brother she hath slain,

And this will I with sword and hand

Against the world maintain.

"I fling my gage upon the ground -

Blow, tramp, and let us see

If shame shall prick her paramour

To dare the lists with me."

Part II

The Dawn of Day

Then spake the Lord of Telramund

"Her brother she hath slain,

And this will I with sword and hand

Against the world maintain.

"I fling my gage upon the ground -

Blow, tramp, and let us see

If shame shall prick her paramour

To dare the lists with me."

Part II

The Dawn of Day

And thrice, oh thrice the trumpet blew -

And then the silence broke,

And shout went up from the listening crowd

Around the ancient Oak.

For a fair and wondrous thing they saw

Come down the sunlit stream -

And first far-off and indistinct

It shone, a silver gleam.

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Part II

The Dawn of Day

And then they saw a snow-white swan

Come drawing down the tide

A little boat of bearply sheen,

And a stately Knight that sat therein,

And sem'd it course to guide.

He steps on shore - he mounts the hill -

And to the Oak has won -

The sunlight on his silver mail

Flames back, another sun.

Part II

The Dawn of Day

"O Stranger," spake the wondering King

"And art thou come to fight

For Princess Elsa and her cause?

Then God defend the right!

"And if thou conquer, thine she is,

And thou Duke Dietrich's heir -

But first thy name and noble race

'Tis meet that thou declare."

Part II

The Dawn of Day

"O Stranger," spake the wondering King

"And art thou come to fight

For Princess Elsa and her cause?

Then God defend the right!

"And if thou conquer, thine she is,

And thou Duke Dietrich's heir -

But first thy name and noble race

'Tis meet that thou declare."

Part II

The Dawn of Day

"O King", made answer the strange Knight,

"Of noble blood am I.

My father rules in a golden land

Beneath a fairer sky.

"But if this pure and guiltless Maid

Will choose me to be hers,

Here shall I reign until I die,

And thee in honour and fealty

Will follow to the wars.

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Part II

The Dawn of Day

"Elsa, will thou be faithful then?

Is it enough for thee

To know that in thine evil day

I heard thy cry from far away,

And came to set thee free?"

"Saviour and Lord" cried Elsa then

"What reck I of they race?

Hid as thou wilt, tell as thou wilt,

The mystery of thy grace!"

Part II

The Dawn of Day

The trumpets sound, the lists are set,

And 'neath King Henry's throne

Count Friedrich and the stranger Knight

Meet fact to face, alone.

The bright blades wave, the bright sparks fly,

The champions tramp and reel,

And shrill and deadly rings the cry

Of steel on smitten steel.

Part II

The Dawn of Day

But soon to earth is Friedrich hurl'd -

Unhelm'd and pale he lies -

King Henry starts up in his place:

"Now stay thy hand," he cries.

"Victorious Knight! Thy cause is won.

Now mercy do thou grant,

Who shalt tomorrow share a throne

With Elsa of Brabant!"

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