Orpheus with His Lute (1926)

Designs by Dugald Stewart Walker

 

 

To the left is shown a rare copy of Orpheus with His Lute by

W M L Hutchinson - illustrated by Dugald Walker - as published

by Longmans, Green and Co. (London) in 1926.

 

This copy shows the original decoratively orange-stamped

black cloth cover.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the right is the Title Page.

 

Orpheus with His Lute is Hutchinson's adaptation of the Greek myth of Orpheus - including his legendary love of his wife,

Eurydice.

 

The mythical figure of Orpheus has been identified with the Kingship of the Thracian Tribe of Cicones. Pindar - a literary

figure from antiquity - has linked Orpheus with the journeys of Jason and the Argonauts and refers to him as "the father

of songs". Tales of Orpheus from antiquity suggest that he was a wonderful poet and musician, with particularly strong

links to the lyre, in addition to participating in religious ritual activities (including augury and astrology). His prodigious

talent with the lyre is described in the following poem included as a Foreword to Orpheus with His Lute:

 

Orpheus with his lute made trees

And the mountain-tops that freeze

   Bow themselves when he did sing:

To his music plants and flowers

Every sprung; as sun and showers

   There had made a lasting Spring.

 

Everything that heard him play,

Even the billows of the sea,

   Hung their heads and then lay by.

In sweet Music is such art,

Killing care and grief of heart

   Fall asleep, or hearing, die.

 

The tale of Orpheus also includes the tragic story of his love for his wife, Eurydice, that compelled him - following her

death - to travel to the Underworld and return to Earth with her, only to have her companionship snatched from him at

the last by misfortune.

 

Walker's treatment of Hutchinson's adaptation of the Greek myth is replete with classical influences and fittingly - given the

themes of the tale - the coloured Frontispiece that illustrated that portion of the tale focused on the love of Orpheus and

Eurydice is sumptuously gilt with silver.

 

 

Our Greeting Cards and Reproduction Prints

 

 

For connoisseurs of Walker's work, we have prepared sets of 10 Greeting Cards displaying the major monotone images from his designs for Orpheus with His Lute and on the left, we show an example of how these Greeting Cards appear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Code: DW OWHL MS(10)
Price: US$50.00

 

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 and the images are presented on White card stock with an accompanying envelope. The rear of each

card carries information about Dugald Walker, this wonderful suite and the profiled illustration - we have left the

interior of the cards blank so that you may write your own personal message.

 

Should you wish to order a Reproduction Print of one or more of these images, we have provided some options below.

Each of these large format prints is also accompanied by information about Dugald Walker, this suite and the profiled

illustration.

 

To purchase, simply click on the appropriate "Add to Cart" button and you will be taken through to our Shopping Cart

secured through PayPal. Multiple purchases will be consolidated by that feature and shipping and handling costs to any

destination in the world are accommodated by our flat-rate fee of US$20 for every US$200 worth of purchases.

 

Of course, should you wish to discuss some customised options, we welcome your contact on any matter through

ThePeople@SpiritoftheAges.com.

 

In the meantime, enjoy perusing these wonderful images from Dugald Walker.

 

 

The colour illustration

 

One look in which the whole

of love was uttered

 

    

Greeting Card

Code: DW OWHL C1 C
Price: US$5.00

 

 

  

Reproduction on 12x18'' sheet

Code: DW OWHL C1 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

The major monotone illustrations

 

The Well in the Forest

Narcissus saw a boy's face therein.

Prometheus the Firebringer

Something told Pandora that the

name of it was Hope.

 

 

Deucalion's Flood

Forty days and forty nights it rained

in one vast torrent.

How Apollo Came to Delphi

Yield me place for I, Apollo, am Lord

here henceforth.

Reproduction on 12x18'' sheet

Code: DW OWHL M1 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18'' sheet

Code: DW OWHL M2 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18'' sheet

Code: DW OWHL M3 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18'' sheet

Code: DW OWHL M4 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

The Mother and the Maid

Pluto bore her downward

into the Gulf.

Prince Cadmus of Phœnicia

The bull plunged suddenly

into the waves.

 

 

Prince Cadmus of Phœnicia

At eve, Adonis lay cold and dead.

The Gold of the Ivory Crown

A cloud that enfolded the bower

with huge murky pinions.

Reproduction on 12x18'' sheet

Code: DW OWHL M5 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18'' sheet

Code: DW OWHL M6 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18'' sheet

Code: DW OWHL M7 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18'' sheet

Code: DW OWHL M8 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 
   

Prometheus Unbound

Hermes took his upward way

with the speed of an arrow.

The Perfect Song

As the last cadence died away

he laid his hand on hers.

 

 

    

Reproduction on 12x18'' sheet

Code: DW OWHL M9 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18'' sheet

Code: DW OWHL M10 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

    

 

 

 

The monotone End Papers

 

   

End Paper

 

(Presented as a diptych)

 

 

    

A pair of reproductions on 12x18'' sheets

Code: DW OWHL EP1|2 (12x18)
Price: US$120.00